So, Congress has recessed until after Labor Day. Just before they left town, they passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded for the next six months.

The National Committee of Vital Health Statistics (NCVHS) is recommending that occupation and industry are added to the list of key measures that the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services uses to assess socioeconomic status in its surveys.

While many people are still trying to wrap their heads around the idea of nanoparticles – subatomic particles that may behave differently than larger particles of the same composition – the field of nanotechnology has moved ahead to include advanced nanomaterials, which could expose the workers who handle them to serious health risks.

Does it make economic sense for employers to offer or expand paid sick leave benefits to their employees? A new NIOSH study published in the American Journal of Public Health reported that workers with access to paid sick leave were 28% less likely overall to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries than workers without access to paid sick leave.

Since first being introduced in the U.S. for agricultural use in the early 1980s, ATVs have grown increasingly popular recreationally and more recently, for work. There are currently more than 10 million ATVS in use in this country.

Falls are one of the most common fatal events in the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry. The frequent need to work at elevations and the misuse or non-use of fall protection systems makes fall injuries a significant hazard, according to NIOSH.

 Although they are often described as the backbone of the U.S. economy, small businesses are at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with worksite safety and health issues: they often do not have staff dedicated to the subject. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Total Worker Health™ (TWH™) Program this week published an article emphasizing the link between employer support for work and family balance and the reduction of safety health risks, recognizing employees’ need for quality and flexible childcare, particularly during the summer months. 

Do nanomaterials pose health or safety risks to workers employed in their manufacture and industrial use? Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute of Occupational Health Research, recently issued an update on research intended to answer that question.