Tumwater, WA – Washington state is offering grants to fund innovative workplace safety and health or return-to-work programs.

Workers' compensation costs are increasing nationwide, but experts say those costs – as well as fears on the part of injured workers – can be reduced with a well-designed return-to-work program.

Dallas – More people are able to return to work after suffering cardiac arrest thanks in part to an increased number of bystanders performing CPR, researchers conclude in a new Danish study.

Washington – How can the federal workers’ compensation system balance the needs of injured workers with the wise use of taxpayer funds? The question was debated during a May 20 hearing convened by the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee.

Columbus, OH – Ohio has launched a program to help injured workers learn new skills and return to the workforce.

Honolulu – Injured public employees in Hawaii must complete a return-to-work program before receiving vocational rehabilitation benefits, under a new state law.

Newcastle upon Tyne, England – Increased awareness and targeted interventions may help improve return-to-work outcomes for workers who undergo total knee replacement procedures, according to a recent study from Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University in England.

Workers who are dealing with or recovering from cancer often face challenges – such as fatigue – that can affect job performance and safety. But experts say employers can offer accommodations to help these workers stay on the job.

Cambridge, England – Stroke patients frequently contend with “invisible impairments” that make keeping a job difficult, but employers can help, according to a study from the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London.

Almost one-third of strokes occur in people younger than 65 – many of whom say they plan to return to work. To help stroke victims get back on the job, employers need to understand possible impairments and how workers can be accommodated, experts say.

Norwich, England — Managers need to “foster a supportive culture between colleagues” to help workers returning from sick leave feel they’re being treated fairly, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia and Stockholm University.

Cambridge, MA — A Workers Compensation Research Institute study of workers with low-back injuries shows those who receive longer-term prescriptions for opioid painkillers take significantly longer to return to work than those who are not prescribed opioids.

The Centers of Occupational Health and Education program – part of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries – is designed to get injured workers back on the job while curbing long-term disability rates.

Norwich, England — A positive attitude and supportive co-workers are among the most important factors for a successful return to work for an employee who has been on leave for an injury or illness, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia and Uppsala University.

Canterbury, England — Many people returning to work after the death of a loved one don’t receive adequate support from their employer, according to a study from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Manchester, England — Walking speed is the strongest predictor of a stoke victim’s ability to return to work, with about 3 feet per second the “critical threshold,” say researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Austin, TX — The percentage of injured workers who returned to work within six months of an injury steadily rose about 5 points in Texas during a recent 11-year period, according to a recent report from the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation.

Minneapolis — The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has published a template, instructions and checklist guidelines for a COVID-19 preparedness plan – a requirement for nonessential businesses that intend to reopen during the pandemic.

Itasca, IL — Safely returning people to work during the COVID-19 pandemic requires more than a single, one-dimensional strategy, NIOSH Director John Howard says.

Atlanta — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidelines intended to help businesses, as well as schools and mass transit operations, safely reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Safety Council has launched SAFER: Safe Actions for Employee Returns, a comprehensive, multifaceted initiative aimed at developing industry- and risk-specific recommendations and resources for all U.S. employers.

In women-dominated industries such as health care, as well as those in which women aren’t well represented, including construction and the trades, female workers are facing unique challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington — Workers’ opinions about returning to the office amid the COVID-19 pandemic vary greatly based on each individual’s situation, but most want their employer to take certain actions to ensure their safety when they do, results of a recent survey show.

New York — Fewer than 3 out of 10 employees who are working remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic expect to return to their physical workplace by the end of the year, and some groups feel more pressure than others to do so, results of a recent survey suggest.

Itasca, IL — The best path to safer, more collaborative and more productive work environments in the United States involves employers guiding COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The NSC-led initiative wants to help employers ‘understand the spectrum of what they can do’ to safely return employees to the workplace.

Ann Arbor, MI — Nearly 3 out of 5 workers who are hospitalized with traumatic injuries return to their jobs after being discharged, but many of them endure financial hardships and other issues, results of a recent study led by researchers from the University of Michigan show.

Tumwater, WA — A new toolkit from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries offers employers resources they can use to help injured employees return to work as soon as medically possible, aid worker recovery and prevent long-term disability while reducing the financial burden of workers’ compensation claims.

Toronto — A recent study of injured workers in Ontario “reinforces the importance of modified duties (if necessary) and return-to-work planning,” researchers say after results showed 70% experienced persistent pain 18 months after being injured.

Louisville, KY – Traffic law enforcement agencies should shift their priorities away from roadside inspections and instead focus on drivers’ unsafe behaviors – the cause of about 9 out of 10 crashes – according to an American Trucking Associations representative.

A new study says firearms were responsible for more than 90 percent of on-the-job homicides among law enforcement officers from 1996 to 2010.

Washington – U.S. law enforcement deaths in the first half of 2013 increased slightly from the previous year, but decreases occurred in firearms- and traffic-related deaths, according to preliminary data released July 11 by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Washington – Ninety-five law enforcement officers died on the job in 2012, according to FBI data released Oct. 28.

Greenbelt, MD – Passenger vehicle drivers were cited for speeding “significantly” more often than commercial truck and bus drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver campaign in 2013, according to the alliance.

Buffalo, NY – Police officers working the night shift are more likely to suffer long-term workplace injuries than officers on other shifts, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo.

Iowa City, IA – Police work is mostly sedentary, with officers likely to be more active on their days off than while working, according to a new study from the University of Iowa.

Washington – Sixty-seven law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during the first half of 2014 – a 31 percent increase from the same period last year, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund released July 22.

Boston – Chasing and restraining suspects, in addition to other chaotic encounters, puts police officers at an approximately 30 percent to 70 percent higher risk of sudden cardiac death, suggests a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Cambridge Health Alliance.

Washington – A pilot program that provides prison workers with pepper spray as a safety measure has been expanded to six additional correctional facilities.

Santa Monica, CA – More effort is needed to prevent injuries among police officers involved in traffic collisions – including those that occur when the vehicle is not moving – according to a study from nonprofit research institute RAND Corp.

New York – A new report compiles accounts from 9/11 responders recalling their experiences responding to the attacks and, later, managing their World Trade Center-related health conditions.

Montreal – Emergency dispatchers who work at 911 call centers face a variety of physical and mental challenges in a high-stress environment, according to a study conducted by scientific research organization IRSST.

Washington – Ambush killings of law enforcement officers have increased more than 366 percent this year compared with the same time period one year ago, according to a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Indianapolis – A recent spike in targeted attacks against public safety officers, including one in his home state, has prompted an Indiana lawmaker to take action.

Chicago – Law enforcement officers who wear body armor are 76 percent more likely to survive a bullet to the torso than officers who don’t wear the gear, according to a study from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

Washington – An innovative sheriff’s deputy has been named the winner of NIOSH’s Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award.

Washington – In response to a spike in the number of police officers killed in the line of duty in 2017, the House on May 18 passed a bill that seeks stricter penalties for people who harm or attempt to harm first responders.

Washington — Fatal motor vehicle crashes among law enforcement officers are on course for their lowest total since the 1980s, according to an analysis by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

Washington — Law enforcement officers have a nonfatal injury rate nearly three times higher than the general workforce – with “assaults and violent acts” against them the leading cause – according to a recent NIOSH study.

Indianapolis — Indiana Rep. Randy Frye (R-Greensburg) has introduced state legislation that would create a public safety research fund aimed at understanding and improving the physical health and safety and psychological well-being of first responders.