We take our hands and fingers for granted – right up until we lose them We have 10 fingers, and it might seem that losing just one isn’t a big deal, but such an injury can have severe, lifelong consequences. Below is a list of the most common types of hand injuries:

Building a culture of occupational health and safety is vital for all businesses and is key to ensuring not just workplace compliance, but sustainable competitive advantage. To manage risks and to meet today’s standards in occupational health, the first place to start is to make sure you assess and measure risks accurately, and the best way to begin is by gaining a thorough understanding of the solutions and equipment available for monitoring these risks.

OSHA has launched a new webpage marking the 50th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the landmark worker safety and health law that led to the creation of OSHA. The webpage highlights transformative workplace improvements over the past half century, from OSHA’s first standards and whistleblower protections, to assistance programs for small businesses, and the creation of training centers and education grants to help everyone understand and comply with the law.

Thirty-three cases of the asbestos-related lung cancer mesothelioma draw attention to talcum powder as a non-occupational source of exposure to asbestos, according to a study in the January Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. "Our findings strongly suggest that asbestos exposure through asbestos-contaminated cosmetic talc explains cases once deemed idiopathic or 'spontaneous,'" according to the report.

OSHA updates its silica NEP, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities are on the rise and an employee’s fatal fall leads to prison time for a construction company owner.

With the spring slate of home and garden shows not too far ahead, the CDC has issued a health alert about hot tubs – specifically those used in displays at such temporary events. According to the CDC, the hot tubs they may pose a risk for Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia caused by inhaling mist containing Legionella bacteria.

The Center for Safety and Health Sustainability (CSHS), whose member organizations represent more than 100,000 workplace safety and health professionals around the world, has signed on as a strategic partner of the newly launched Capitals Coalition. The Switzerland-based coalition, which unites more than 350 organizations globally, is a merger of the Natural Capital Coalition and the Social & Human Capital Coalition.

OSHA has made changes to its national emphasis program (NEP) on silica, which is intended to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in general industry, maritime, and construction. The NEP targets specific industries expected to have the highest exposures to RCS.

Employees should not be afraid to report workplace injuries or hazardous conditions. The Occupational Safety and Health Act prohibits employer retaliation against employees who report workplace violations or file work injury claims. OSHA regulations mandate workplace safety for all employees.