Workplace illnesses rising in U.S. private sector

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

For the last decade, the U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers’ (Ag Centers) YouTube channel has provided safety and health information, aiming to protect employees in the agricultural, forestry and fishing industries. The channel has over 170 videos in three languages on a variety of topics and has been viewed over 723,000 times. The Ag Centers have focused their efforts on updating content and invite the agricultural industry to subscribe to this free resource.

Workplace flexibility linked to reduced cardiovascular disease risk

A recent study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Penn State University found that increasing workplace flexibility may lower certain employees' risk of cardiovascular disease. During the study, over 1,500 employees participated in a workplace intervention designed to reduce conflict between their work and personal lives. This research implies that interventions like this could have a particularly positive impact for more vulnerable employees who do not usually have much control over their schedules and expectations.

How virtual reality can be used for safety training

A recent Industrial Safety & Hygiene News article gives an overview of how companies are using virtual reality (VR) to train employees. Companies using VR experience several safety and health benefits, including the ability to train employees on hazardous tasks without them experiencing any real danger. The article also discusses precautions needed for implementing VR training, such as keeping the VR space clear of trip hazards and minimizing training time to avoid the potential for motion sickness.

Technology can engage employees and create a safety culture

An Occupational Health & Safety magazine article explores how using technology and applications enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) could reduce injuries and eliminate fatalities in the workplace. Various capabilities of AI-enabled applications are explored, such as facilitating real-time communication between frontline employees and management as well as machine learning that identifies unsafe conditions using company data. Unified technological platforms are offered as a solution to engage frontline employees, leverage AI to improve safety outcomes and build a safety culture across the organization.