SafetyBlog

Air pollution has become a serious problem both here in the United States and abroad. According to some statistics, it's responsible for more than 5.5 million deaths each year, making it the fourth leading cause of death. While many countries have passed new laws to curb airborne pollution, it remains a serious problem. Furthermore, there's new evidence suggesting that exposure to air pollution can lead to elevated blood pressure levels.A team of researchers from the Guangdong Provincial Institu …

Using a buddy system in which two workers watch each others back is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of work-related injury. But what if you are forced to work by yourself, without the convenience of other nearby workers? Working alone certainly increases the risk of injury, but there are ways to lower these risks.Identify HazardsThe first step in working alone is to identify the potential hazards. Take a few minutes to inspect the worksite and evaluate the task, identifying haz …

Standing desks have become a hot topic in recent years, with many companies and individual workers making the transition to them. Of course, there's a good reason for this trend: the general belief is that using a standing desk offers greater health benefits when compared to traditional sitting desks, allowing workers to burn calories while they work. But a new study has found that standing desks may also boos worker productivity.According to the study conducted by researchers at Texas A&M U …

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a new report on meat and poultry worker safety. While the industry has claimed to have improved worker safety over the past decade, this report suggests otherwise.When most people think of "high-risk" industries for workers, meat and poultry probably doesn't come to mind. However, meat and poultry workers are subject to a wide variety of injuries and illnesses, ranging from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and lacerations, to food-borne il …

Doctors and medical experts have cautioned against the consumption of excess salt, believing it can increase the risk of adverse conditions like high-blood pressure (hypertension). The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans even recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams of the substance daily for adults. However, there's new evidence suggesting that high-sodium diets isn't necessarily bad.Study Sheds Light on SaltA consortium of researchers from McMaster University, Hamilton Health Servi …