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.

Ticks can carry potentially life-threatening infectious diseases. Most active during warmer months (April-September), they reside mostly in grassy, brushy or wooded areas – putting virtually all outdoor workers in the United States at risk of exposure.

A best practice to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections is routinely cleaning and disinfecting/sanitizing surfaces, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

COVID-19 has changed the way we all work. Some of us never stopped physically going to work, while others have been working remotely since mid-March. No matter where we are, working during a pandemic has added stress to our daily lives.

Health care workers who are exposed to needles – for example, those administering a COVID-19 vaccine – are at risk of sharps injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

More than 300. That’s how many known triggers can be found in the workplace that cause or worsen asthma, according to NIOSH. 

As with all workplace safety and health efforts, staying safe in the future world of work will be the combined effort of employers taking the right steps to reduce risk and employees doing their part to look out for themselves and each other.

Pregnancy increases the risk of heatstroke or heat exhaustion on the job because the body must work harder to cool itself, according to OSHA. Pregnant workers are also more likely to become dehydrated, “a primary contributor to heat-related illness.”

Why does the high-visibility standard have FR requirements?

How is the comfort of FR clothing related to compliance?

What is the relationship between OSHA permissible exposure limits/maximum use concentrations and assigned protection factors?

How have the products used by utilities workers in recent years evolved to address changing demographics and working conditions?

How is glass and steel engineered into cut-resistant gloves?

What’s the difference between “hearing conservation” and “hearing loss prevention”?

What are cut-resistant sleeves, and what type of workers should wear them?

How are powered air-purifying systems protecting frontline health care workers from COVID-19?

As an employer, what are my responsibilities to protect my workers from respiratory hazards? What responsibilities do my employees have?

What do I need to know about eye protection programs if I’m required to provide my workers with safety eyewear?

What are the different types of respirator fit testing? What are their limitations and benefits?

How do I choose between a full-face respirator and a half-face respirator?

How do I implement respirator fit testing at my facility?

How has personal protective equipment evolved when it comes to safety footwear designed for indoor and manufacturing environments?

Is safety tracking software the name of the game for new technology designed for plant safety?

Geneva — Health care workers who treat COVID-19 patients deserve more robust occupational safety and health programs, according to the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization.

Aurora, CO — “Lack of recognition as frontline workers” adds emotional strain to the physical demands, staffing obstacles and COVID-19 concerns of workers who clean and sanitize health care facilities and equipment, results of a recent University of Colorado study suggest.

Washington — The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on April 4 heard oral arguments on why it should order OSHA to issue a permanent standard on COVID-19 for the health care industry.

Toronto — To increase health care workers’ knowledge, awareness and prevention of occupational hand dermatitis, the Center for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease has launched a free e-learning module.

Atlanta — Health care workers who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic were more likely to have contracted the illness on the job rather than in household or community settings, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has concluded.

Gaithersburg, MD — The use of ultraviolet light to disinfect N95 respirators has minimal impact on their form and function, allowing frontline workers to reuse the masks, results of a recent National Institute of Standards and Technology study show.

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.

Durham, NC — The rates of “moral injury” that health care workers experienced during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic was akin to those of U.S. military combat veterans, results of a recent study show.

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.

Washington — Echoing comments made by OSHA administrator Doug Parker during a hearing three weeks earlier, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said a permanent standard on COVID-19 for the health care industry may be published sometime in the fall.

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.

Washington — Burnout among health care workers could make it more difficult for patients to get the care they need, cause a rise in the cost of care, worsen health disparities and weaken the ability to prepare for the next public health emergency.

Tumwater, WA — Health care workers should rely on their clinical recognition skills, workplace safety protocols and personal protective equipment to avoid contracting and spreading monkeypox, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries advises.

Washington — The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled it doesn’t have the authority to order OSHA to issue a permanent standard on COVID-19 for the health care industry, denying an emergency petition filed by National Nurses United and other labor groups.

Pleasanton, CA — The transportation, health care and government sectors have experienced the greatest increases of “higher worker burnout risk” over the past year, according to a recently released report from software provider Workday.

Washington — The National Academy of Medicine has unveiled seven priorities it says will help strengthen the well-being of the health care workforce and “restore the health of the nation.”

Washington — OSHA submitted its permanent standard on COVID-19 for the health care industry to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review Dec. 7.

Washington — Do you have an idea for improving fit testing of respirators? NIOSH is offering $350,000 in total prize money as part of its Respirator Fit Evaluation Challenge.

Washington — The House has passed legislation that would eliminate a rule requiring health care industry employers who participate in Medicare and Medicaid to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Rockville, MD — A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality outlines ways that emergency medical service and 911 workers can be exposed to infectious pathogens and offers recommendations for infection prevention and control.

Washington — NIOSH has added all types of uterine cancer to the list of health-related conditions covered by the agency’s World Trade Center Health Program.

Tallahassee, FL — Legislation in Florida that would strengthen criminal penalties for assault or battery on hospital workers has advanced out of two Senate committees.

Washington — Newly introduced legislation would direct OSHA to issue a standard requiring employers in the health care and social services sector to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan.

Arlington, VA — Hospital units that consistently follow standard safety precautions experience nearly 40% fewer needlesticks and other sharps injuries than other units, a new study has found.

Washington — OSHA is requesting feedback as it considers developing a possible standard aimed at preventing workplace violence in the health care and social assistance industries.

Washington — An OSHA standard on safe patient handling and mobility could reduce musculoskeletal disorders among health care workers, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society says in a new policy statement.