Environmental Health and Safety

RSS

I’m looking at a photo sent by a reader that shows nine workers standing in a line – one woman and eight guys it appears to me – who form the team that starts safety meetings. All are wearing jeans. All are smiling. You can tell they’re good guys (and women). They’re workers, man, plain and simple. Eight of ‘em wear ball caps.

Making sure that your workplace is as ergonomic as it can be is not only a way of setting things right, but it is also an effective means of preventing problems from occurring in the future.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is proposing US-based industrial hygiene and occupational health organizations collaborate with the Central Indian Hygiene Association (CIHA) to develop and implement an Indian National Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health Conference in Mumbai, India in February 2015.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012 these six occupations suffered the worst of hand and arm musculoskeletal disorder (MSD)  injuries, requiring the longest recuperation time:

With the safe use of chemicals at work designated as the theme for this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Workers’ Memorial Day in the U.S. and Canada), the International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a report on steps that can be taken to safeguard workers from toxic hazards.

Today is Workers’ Memorial Day, on which individuals who have died on the job are honored in ceremonies all over the country. At the U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C., Secretary Perez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Joseph A. Main will deliver remarks focusing on the hazards of toxic chemical exposure in the workplace – this year’s theme.

Workers Memorial Day, April 28, reminds us that every death, injury, or illness on the job represents a human tragedy. Behind each statistic is the loss of a loved one’s life, the diminution or loss of a father’s or mother’s ability to provide for family needs, or a medical crisis that can have lifelong consequences.

The most serious cases of hand and arm injuries in the workplace carry a stiff price tag, in addition to the pain and suffering of the injured worker.