In Episode 44, the S+H team examines the October issue’s feature story on respirable crystalline silica. Also, Suzi Craig, vice president of workplace mental health at Mental Health America, joins the podcast to discuss normalizing conversations and attitudes around mental health in the “Five Questions With …” segment. 

OSHA’s “Safe Workplace Good Headspace” initiative highlights ways employers can make a difference.

According to Injury Facts, a website maintained by the National Safety Council, nearly 5,500 workers died on the job in 2022. How many of those workers could have been saved with CPR?

A look at the “non-siloed approach” to safety and well-being.

Night shift workers typically get one to four fewer hours of sleep a day than day shift workers, the American College of Chest Physicians says.

Every year, roughly 30 million people in the Unites States are exposed to hazardous noise at work, according to OSHA. High levels of noise can result in permanent hearing loss for workers.

Exposure to high levels of noise can lead to permanent hearing loss. According to OSHA, roughly 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise every year.

Is the noise at your workplace harming your hearing? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job every year.

Audition Technology’s white paper summarizes the current global standards for safe listening in the environment and from audio (headphones) and provides a framework for monitoring lifestyle exposures versus safe dose, building awareness and self-management with associated tools offered by the company.

Workers in many industries use disposable earplugs. But are they inserting and wearing them correctly? We’ve got step-by-step instructions, and more.

From the blare of a forklift-collision warning to the wail of an ambulance siren, noise can make us aware of hazards our eyes haven’t yet seen. But not all noise is helpful.

Customized Hearing Protection Devices, or Qeos, protect employees’ hearing with a wide range of filters and noise reduction ratings, allowing users to communicate without having to remove the device.

Quick Fit Hydros have been specifically designed for workers who want a water-resistant, multi-functional device that can be worn as an electronic ear protector or a personal hearing device for situational awareness by simply changing the tips.

The compact 239 Foldable Earmuff is available in blue, black, blue digital camo and green camo, as well as pink and purple in the Girl Power at Work line.

Glide Earplugs allow users to determine custom fit with its unique curved stem design.

The patent-pending Foam Plug Dispenser is designed for easy and economical dispersal of earplugs.

Hearing loss is preventable. Why, then, is it still so common?

More than 51,000 luggage-related injuries were treated in doctors’ offices, clinics and emergency rooms in 2005, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Exposure to vibration or being required to make repetitive motions can lead to significant wear and tear on the body. The resulting injuries are known as cumulative trauma disorders.

Manually digging and trenching can be very physically demanding work, made even more dangerous when proper techniques are not employed.

Frequently using a computer may cause ergonomics issues, warns the Rosemont, IL-based American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Carpet layers spend approximately 75 percent of their workday kneeling, according to NIOSH estimates, putting a significant amount of pressure on their knees. Compared with workers who rarely kneel, NIOSH found that carpet layers have high frequencies of bursitis of the knee – fluid buildup requiring knee aspirations, skin infections of the knee and a variety of other knee disorders.

Equipment such as adjustable chairs and ergonomic mouse pads can help prevent strain among workers sitting at a desk. But workers required to stand for long periods of time are subject to strain injuries that cannot be prevented with such equipment.

Ergonomic disorders affect the soft tissues, specifically the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels and spinal discs. These issues can result from job tasks such as working on an assembly line, using heavy equipment or typing on a computer.

Whole-body vibration occurs when mechanical energy oscillations are transferred to the body as a whole, commonly through a seat or platform.

Safety+Health shares – in pictures – how the National Safety Council conducts ergonomics assessments of workers’ desks and chairs to help prevent MSDs.

If reaching, grabbing, clenching, twisting or bending causes pain, you may have a repetitive strain injury.

Whether sitting in an office all day or moving material in a warehouse, practicing good ergonomics can help workers stay healthy.

Do you sit at a desk for hours at a time for work? Do you ever feel sore, experience back or neck pain, or have pain in your fingers? If so, you may not be practicing proper ergonomics.

In 2012, more than 68,000 cases involving days away from work occurred due to shoulder injuries, according to the National Safety Council chartbook, “Injury Facts.” Shoulder injuries can seriously affect a worker’s life. The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation states that pain is the most common symptom of a shoulder injury, with other symptoms including stiffness, a “locking” sensation, and numbness or tingling down the arm.

Lifting and carrying objects is common for many workers across the country. But training is important. If performed improperly, lifting and carrying items can lead to injuries.

It’s important to exercise good ergonomics throughout the day. If you use hand tools as part of your job, keep the following in mind.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome, and where is the carpal tunnel? Mayo Clinic explains: The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway located on the palm-side of your wrist that “protects a main nerve to your hand and the nine tendons that bend your fingers.” Carpal tunnel syndrome results from compressing this nerve, which produces “numbness, tingling and, eventually, hand weakness.”

Musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, muscle strains and lower back injuries affect the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons, according to OSHA. But practicing good ergonomics can help prevent workers from acquiring MSDs.

Consider your work chair. Is it comfortable and supportive? Do you feel well-balanced sitting in it? Is it stable? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you might need a new chair – one that is ergonomically correct.

Are you lifting objects correctly? If not, you could be at risk for an ergonomics-related injury, such as a sprain or strain, back injury, or repetitive-motion injury.

From boxes of paper near the printer to large packages in the mailroom, office settings contain a number of objects – some quite heavy – that require manual lifting. Are you following safe lifting practices?

If you work in an office, chances are good that you sit for a large part of the day. This puts you at risk for ergonomics-related problems.

Nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce is older than 65, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By 2020, 1 in 4 American workers will be older than 55.

Whether it’s a work computer, a home laptop or our ever-present smartphones, chances are you stare at some type of screen for hours each day.

Good ergonomics isn’t limited to the office: The same practices that can help avoid aches and pains at your desk can be applied to your drive to and from work, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety says.

With shelter-in-place orders in effect throughout much of the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are working remotely. This presents unique challenges and safety concerns.

Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries offers tips on how to best set up a safe and efficient workstation.

“Our bodies are very good at giving us warning signs when something needs to change,” NSC says. “We just need to be willing to listen and take action.”

What’s one way workers can cut their risk of a back injury in half? “Store it off the floor,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says.

Does your job require you to stand for long periods? Or maybe you spend hours lifting and pushing heavy materials. Perhaps you’re in an office environment and sit at a desk for hours while typing on a computer most of the day. These situations are all considered risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders.

Download this white paper from Soter Analytics to learn how wearable technologies can automate ergonomic training processes, motivate workers and drive down injury rates as much as 55%.

Construction workers: Do you often perform the same task at work over and over again? Do you experience pain afterward? What starts as a minor ache or pain can quickly turn into a more serious condition – a repetitive stress injury.

Jobs that require frequent standing can lead to a number of health-related problems, including sore feet, leg swelling, muscle fatigue, low back pain, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

Is your shoulder stiff after a day at work? Can you rotate your arm? Do you feel as though it’s not operating at full strength?