Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental illness. It can occur when a person experiences something frightening, stressful or overwhelming.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, stress levels among many workers have been through the roof. Studies have shown that between caregiving duties, job responsibilities and more, employees are feeling overwhelmed. And stress has been linked to health conditions such as cardiovascular issues, depression and obesity.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Take time this month – and all year round – to promote awareness of worker well-being.

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

Rewarding employees with pizza may be a popular way to celebrate a workplace success, but it isn’t exactly the healthiest choice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says employers should “encourage healthier food and beverage choices at workplace meetings, conferences, parties and other events.”

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

Washington — About two-thirds of employees say they’ve observed co-workers vaping, while a nearly equal amount believe the secondhand vapors from e-cigarettes and other vaping devices are at least moderately harmful to their own health, according to the results of a recent survey.

Mill Valley, CA — Seventy percent of workers want their employer to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before fully reopening the office, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by job research and review company Glassdoor.

Boston — Do you eat lunch with co-workers? The food choices – healthy or unhealthy – of your lunch bunch are very likely to influence your own choices, results of a recent study led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Amherst show.

San Francisco — Around half of workers say their employer isn’t doing enough to address the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by Total Brain, a mental health and brain performance platform provider.

Menlo Park, CA — More than 40% of employees say they’re more burned out on the job than they were a year ago, and 1 out of 3 plan to take at least three weeks of vacation this year, recent survey results show.

Philadelphia — A vast majority of employees who are returning to the workplace after working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic say they plan to continue practicing elevated hygiene amid concerns over the cleanliness of their offices and being around colleagues again, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by hygiene and health company Essity.

Washington — Employees’ satisfaction with physical safety conditions in the workplace has returned to levels that predate the COVID-19 pandemic, results of an annual survey indicate.

Tucson, AZ — Reimagined office spaces can help reduce worker stress and enhance overall well-being, a pair of University of Arizona researchers say in a recently published paper.

Ljubljana, Slovenia — Work intensity is the most commonly identified risk factor for daily stress on the job, European researchers have concluded after conducting a research review.

Provo, UT — Nearly half of U.S. employees say they work while on vacation, according to the results of a recent survey.

San Diego — Saying “thank you” and expressing other forms of gratitude to co-workers can lead to better cardiovascular response in high-stress situations, results of a recent study show.

Oulu, Finland — “Even light physical activity may foster work engagement,” researchers in Finland are saying after studying on- and off-the-job data for more than 6,800 workers.

Adding physical activity to your daily routine could lead to a longer life – regardless of genetic predisposition, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego.

Changsha, China — Night shift workers who have high blood pressure may be at increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes, or experiencing a stroke, results of a recent study show.

Cologne, Germany — Workers who engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors and encourage their colleagues to do the same can help create a more healthful workplace, results of recent study show.

If you have allergies or asthma, clean your smartphone more often to minimize reaction triggers that may be lurking on the surface, researchers recommend in a recent study.

Lansing, MI — Michigan has become the first state to lower permissible blood lead levels – by as much as half – to protect workers, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced.

Washington — OSHA is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would revise the agency’s standards on occupational exposure to lead in general industry and construction.

Washington — In response to multiple stakeholder requests, OSHA has extended until Oct. 28 the comment period on a proposed rule that would revise the agency’s standards on occupational exposure to lead in general industry and construction.

Accuform has launched a new version of its construction/contractor-specific identification products catalog. To meet the growing need for identification products directly geared to the construction/contractor market, Accuform offers a complete set of key products in a new catalog titled “Construction Express.” This catalog, now 24 pages, includes construction signage (including bilingual signs), barricade tapes, lockout/tagout products, and more. View the catalog at www.accuform.com/construction.

Click here for more information from Accuform

Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

Pacific Handy Cutter’s ambidextrous GSC3 saves money by reducing damaged goods, cuts and injuries. This all-in-one safety cutter and bladeless tape splitter features a three-button-activated auto-retractable hood that increases productivity and decreases costs. The GSC3 stores up to five blades.

Click here for more information from Pacific Handy Cutter

Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

At temperatures greater than 92° F, workers lose 16 percent productivity and increase their risk of heat stress. The Portacool Jetstream™ 270 offers a portable, powerful spot-cooling solution. The 270 combines impressive airflow with the highest-quality evaporative media to provide cooling power that can be felt up to 100 yards away.

Click here for more information from Portacool

Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

United Academy combines online and face-to-face learning for operators, because each has its strengths. Also, save time and money by storing and maintaining training records and certifications through United Academy. Easily access student training profiles using our wallet card and mobile app or a computer. Train with the best.

Click here for more information from United Academy, powered by United Rentals

Product information is provided by manufacturers. This publication has not independently tested manufacturers' products and cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims.

Body aches, runny nose, fever, headache and fatigue. These are some of the symptoms of the flu.

Occupational asthma can develop when a worker breathes in gases, chemical fumes, dust or other work-related substances. According to Mayo Clinic, it also can result from exposure to a substance a worker is sensitive to, triggering an allergic or immunological response.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – more commonly known as MRSA – is a potentially dangerous type of staph bacteria that can lead to difficult-to-treat infections. MRSA is resistant to certain antibiotics and, although an infection may begin as a skin sore, it can become serious and potentially deadly, NIOSH warns.

Feeling anxious about going back to the office during the COVID-19 pandemic? It’s important to manage your stress to ensure a healthy return – physically and mentally, experts at Ohio State University say.

As many employees begin returning to a more typical work environment, employers must remember to prioritize safety. Here are 10 steps the National Safety Council – based on recommendations from its SAFER task force – says employers should take before reopening.

People who work in hot, humid conditions may not like the idea of wearing a facial covering to decrease their risk of exposure to COVID-19. But it’s necessary.

Many workers have been diagnosed with some form of lung condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which means working in a lung-friendly workplace is key.

Also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, black lung is a “job-related disease caused by continued exposure to excessive amounts of respirable coal mine dust,” NIOSH says.

What features are commonly used in the construction of safety shoes to protect against impact and compression hazards?

Confined space covers provide a best-practice, all-in-one solution of signage and barrier protection to exceed the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 standard for permit-required confined spaces.

Washington — A companion bill to the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195), passed by the House in April 2021, has been introduced in the Senate.

North Kingstown, RI — More than 4 out of 5 health care workers experience headaches associated with the use of personal protective equipment, according to a new report from the Association of Migraine Disorders.

Silver Spring, MD — Around 7 out of 10 recently surveyed nurses say staffing has gotten slightly or much worse recently, while nearly half of hospital nurses report an increase in workplace violence.

Columbus, OH — Legislation recently introduced in the Ohio Statehouse would direct health care employers to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan within six months.

Schaumburg, IL — The Emergency Nurses Association and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership have updated their Guiding Principles on Mitigating Violence in the Workplace and related toolkit.