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In terms of climate, geography, accents and politics, New York and Louisiana are very dissimilar, but they do have this in common: the amount of narcotics used by an average injured worker in each state is about double the amount of other states.

The prevalence of infectious diseases, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, SARS and avian flu, have raised the concern of hospital personnel over the possibility of acquiring such infections. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in or outside hospitals who have contact with patients, body fluids, or specimens may easily acquire infections from or transmit infections to patients, other personnel, or loved ones.

Headaches in astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are attributed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), reports a study in the May Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

As a safety and health professional, there will inevitably be those trying times when you must counsel a worker who has lost a finger, multiple fingers, a hand, or an entire arm to a work-related injury.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has a lot of friends. In a recent letter, more than 150 organizations that make up the “Friends of NIOSH” urged congressional leaders to disregard President Obama’s proposed elimination (in his FY 2015 budget) of Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Program and maintain funding for them, as well as for NIOSH’s other programs.

Thousands of ISHN subscribers voted online for today's top safety products in ISHN’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are in and ISHN is proud to share the second-annual list of winning entries.

As women age, health issues specific to perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritic conditions, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fractures are more common in women than men, according to The Institute for Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation.

ISHN posted this commentary from Dr. Howard earlier in April. Given Dr. Howard’s long tenure at NIOSH and his visionary perspectives on worker health and safety, we want to “rebroadcast’ it as an ISHN blog.