Tilburg, Netherlands — Employers who take a more tailored approach to supporting workers who return to work after a mental health-related absence “could not only prevent mental health problems from becoming more severe but also help employees achieve a more sustainable return,” according to a new research report from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

Lansing, MI — Michigan OSHA has launched a state emphasis program focused on protecting workers in office settings, where community spread of COVID-19 is a risk.

Dortmund, Germany — People who work from home are more likely to continue working when they’re ill, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

New York — Nearly three-quarters of remote workers say their employer should provide a general work-from-home stipend to help make their home workspaces more ergonomically correct, results of a recent survey show.

Aurora, CO — Raise your cup, coffee drinkers! Drinking one or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day may reduce your risk of heart failure, according to the results of a recent review conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado.

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.

Oulu, Finland — If you stay up late at night, you risk underperforming at work, results of a recent study out of Finland indicate.

Raleigh, NC — Some people may believe that colleagues who step away from their desks are avoiding work, but the results of a recent study conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University show short breaks actually can help boost productivity and manage energy.

Menlo Park, CA — Thirty-four percent of office employees working remotely during of the COVID-19 pandemic say they might look for another job if directed to return to the office full-time, results of a recent survey show.

Halifax, Nova Scotia — Nearly half of employees working remotely are experiencing higher levels of exhaustion caused by a combination of more virtual meetings and pressure to be on camera for them, results of a recent survey show.

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 — Slightly more than 70% of employers expect their workers to want a hybrid model when their physical workplace reopens, but only 55% plan to offer that option, according to the results of a recent survey.

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.

Alexandria, VA — About 6 out of 10 U.S. adults believe masks should be a requirement for workers at onsite locations, even if those workers are fully vaccinated, according to the results of a recent Harris Poll survey commissioned by the American Staffing Association.

Fort Collins, CO — Ambiguous expectations and undefined work boundaries may put more conscientious remote workers at elevated risk for burnout, dissatisfaction and illness, a recent study suggests.

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.

Tampa, FL — Just one night of inadequate sleep can negatively affect your mental and physical well-being, a researcher from the University of South Florida says.

Menomonee Falls, WI — Around 70% of office workers say they’re washing their hands more often because of new strains of the virus that causes COVID-19, while about half avoid shaking hands with others, results of a recent survey show.

New York — Nearly half of workers whose employers have a flexible remote work policy say it’s their most coveted employee perk, while more than 3 out of 4 would like to work from home permanently, results of a recent survey show.

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.

Washington — Workers who have diabetes may face a heightened risk of developing depression, according to a recent NIOSH study.

Atlanta — Almost three-quarters of U.S. employees are concerned about workplace safety standards and cleanliness as a protection against COVID-19, according to the results of a recent survey.

Barcelona, Spain — Exposure to printer toner, cleaning products and mold circulated in air conditioning systems – along with poor ventilation – can trigger asthma in office workers, results of a recent study out of England suggest.

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.

Boston — Improved air quality in offices can boost worker focus, response times and overall cognitive ability, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health claim.

Bilbao, Spain — Promoting good musculoskeletal health among remote workers and their employers is the goal of a new fact sheet from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, also known as EU-OSHA.

Geneva — As telework grows more common, the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization are encouraging employers to develop programs to help make the practice “healthy and safe.”

Copenhagen, Denmark — Performing “simple and brief strengthening exercises designed to strengthen the primary muscles used during work” – known as micro-exercise – while on the job may help prevent long-term sickness absences, according to a recent study out of Denmark.

Ann Arbor, MI — Employers with remote workforces can look at workers’ use of positive or negative emoji – those small images or icons featured in text communications and email – to help gauge if employees are experiencing stress or burnout, researchers at the University of Michigan say.

Los Angeles — A recent survey of people who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that nearly three-quarters experienced new mental health issues, while 65% developed new physical issues.

Guildford, England — Commuters are more likely to bike to work when the average speed of vehicle traffic along their route is below 20 mph, results of a recent study out of England suggest.

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

Hartford, CT — A third of recently surveyed business executives expect their workers to answer or participate in work-related calls while driving – and 42% of workers say they oblige.

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.

Leicester, England — Researchers in England have developed a program they say can, when paired with a height-adjustable desk, reduce office workers’ sitting time by more than an hour a day.

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.

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.

Boston — Employees who use illicit substances have increased absenteeism – a “compelling argument” for employers to promote employee treatment programs, results of a recent Boston University 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.

London — Employees – especially younger ones – are concerned about the air quality in their workplace, according to a recently published report from Infogrid.

Taipei City, Taiwan — Workers who spend most of their workday in a chair have a 34% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 16% higher risk from all causes of death than workers who don’t sit, according to a new study out of Taipei Medical University.

London – Workers in the lead industry are experiencing reductions in exposure, and a majority of them have blood-lead levels below regulatory limits, the International Lead Association announced July 9.

Atlanta – Lead exposure remains an issue for workers, with elevated levels most common in manufacturing, construction, services and mining, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Olympia, WA – The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has issued a hazard alert for workers who use thermal cutting tools to de-tension cables embedded in concrete structures such as bridges and freeway overpasses, warning them of the dangers of lead exposure.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in construction, manufacturing and a variety of other industries may be exposed to harmful levels of lead. What can safety pros do to protect workers from this hazardous metal?

Washington — OSHA has published a fact sheet and Quick Card intended to help employers protect workers from exposure to lead at indoor firing ranges.

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.

Sacramento, CA — Workers with high blood lead levels will now have their cases referred to the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health – or Cal/OSHA – for review and possible action, under legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Oct. 10.