This year’s AIHce EXP features keynote speakers who are sure to inspire. The opening keynote speaker Monday morning kicks things off with “Three Megatrends and Four Best Practices That Will Shape Your Business Future.” Rich Karlgaard is a respected forecaster and offers a unique vantage point on the trends driving the business and economic climates, which in turn influence the decisions we make in the IH/OH industry.

Restaurant meals are notorious for sky-high sodium levels and are-you-kidding-me calories, but treating yourself to a meal out doesn’t mean settling for poor nutrition. The American Heart Association (AHA) shares three “eat smart” hacks in honor of World Hypertension Day. Outsmarting eating out has gotten easier now that many restaurants offer better-for-you items, calorie count on their menus and access to detailed nutrition information upon request. Still, availability and knowledge are only part of the equation.

An initiative to address the significantly higher fatality rates suffered by Hispanic and Latino workers in the U.S. moved forward at a Hispanic/Latino Worker Safety Workshop held earlier this month in Chicago. The event was launched by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and included representatives from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), OSHA, the National Safety Council, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Latino Worker Safety Center, Oregon OSHA, Associated Builders and Contractors, and other organizations from the agriculture, construction and manufacturing industries.

With workplace sexual harassment continuing to be a high-profile, hotly debated issue, the results of a new survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) will come as a surprise to many people. The national conversation about what is appropriate workplace behavior has apparently not resulted in new policy changes at many companies.

The amputation of a worker’s fingers in unguarded moving belts and pulleys has resulted in 11 citations and $86,615 in penalties against UMC Acquisition Corp. of Downey, California. California OSHA concluded that the company failed to assess the workplace for hazards, ensure that proper lockout/tagout procedures were implemented, and install guards on moving machinery.

An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have some type of sleep disorder, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some turn to melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep. Melatonin is a hormone known to promote sleep, but its underlying mechanisms are unknown. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered how melatonin suppresses neurons in the brain that keeps you awake and alert.

The rate of nonfatal injury from work-related assaults has increased among law enforcement officers, according to a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study is the first national investigation of nonfatal injuries from assaults and other unintentional injuries, including accidental falls and motor vehicle crashes.

Just last week, a California worker was buried alive under tons of soil in an unprotected 17 foot deep trench and two weeks ago an unidentified 34-year old South Dakota construction worker was crushed to death in a 10 to 15 feet deep trench. Unfortunately, par for course in these United States. Why, I don’t know.

Fatigue may have been behind the fatal April 4 crash in Florida that killed two people – but not pilot fatigue. An investigative update issued by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that “fracture features” consistent with metal fatigue were found on more than 80 percent of the lower spar cap and portions of the forward and aft spar web doublers of the left wing main spar on the Piper PA-28R-201.

Every day in the U.S. approximately 2,000 employees suffer an eye injury that is serious enough to rush to an ophthalmologist. While most of these eye injuries involve small flying particles that abrade the eye, some are severe and result in total blindness. However, eye injuries can be easily avoided by wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.