Articles Posted in 2013

Chronic back pain is one of the most crippling conditions that a worker can suffer as a result of a workplace accident or repetitive stress injury. Now Danish researchers have discovered that antibiotic therapy can help treat back pain. According to the researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, antibiotic treatment helped cure chronic back…

The risks to employees in industries that use toxins and hazardous chemicals were recently brought home to millions of Americans after the recent Texas fertilizer plant explosion. Now the United Steelworkers union is warning that thousands of American workers may be at risk from toxic exposure to hydrofluoric acid in refineries around the country. The…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a document aimed at educating workers about the right way to use nail guns to reduce the risk of injuries. Nail-gun injuries are common, especially in the construction sector, and many of these injuries are catastrophic, resulting in long-term disabilities. Common nail-gun injuries include eye damage…

Thousands of workers whose jobs require them to be outdoors are at risk for heat-related workplace illnesses, including heat stress and heat stroke, during the summer. People who work in construction, agriculture, logging, and the oil and gas industries most often have to cope with high temperatures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has…

Musculoskeletal injuries account for a growing share of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, according to a recent post on the occupational safety and health blog EHS OutLoud. Musculoskeletal injuries went from 29 percent of all workplace injuries in 2010 to 33 percent in 2011. The overall rate of nonfatal work injuries was unchanged over that…

People who suffer from chronic back pain as a result of a workplace injury or other cause are at heightened risk of suicide, according to a new study. The research found that people with back pain or migraines were more likely to attempt suicide regardless of whether they suffered from symptoms of depression, anxiety or…

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health monitors workplace injuries and workers’ compensation data around the country. Recently the federal agency announced that it has established a Center for Workers’ Compensation Studies to improve information gathering about workplace injury and illness. This surveillance and research is very important to develop strategies to reduce the…

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine recently released a list of the top 10 environmental hazards, most of which affect people in their homes. But the hazards can also cause serious injuries in the workplace. The list of environmental hazards includes asbestos, which was widely used in the construction of buildings and homes…

Every year, worker safety groups, advocates, and labor unions observe Workers Memorial Day to pay respect to workers who lost their lives on the job. This year’s Workers Memorial Day commemoration, observed last Sunday, came just a few days after a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas and a serious barge explosion along…

The farming and construction industries often rely on temporary workers, who may face a greater risk of accidents because they often lack training and personal protection equipment. Temporary workers often do not receive the kind of work protections that full-time employees may receive. If they do not speak English, they may not be fully aware…