Health Care


NIOSH Releases Food Services Safety Agenda

Comprehensive injury and illness prevention programs are recommended to reduce the risks for occupational injury, illness, and death in the food services industry.

Metal Finishing Firm Hit with $151,400 in Fines for Physical, Chemical Hazards

OSHA opened an inspection after receiving a report that employees were performing small parts plating operations without protection against chemical and physical hazards.

Growth in Health Benefit Costs Slowing, Mercer Survey Shows

The latest annual survey pegged the growth at 6.1 percent this year, down from 6.9 percent in 2009, with a projected 5.7 percent increase projected next year.

Smoke-Free Workplaces Reduce Heart Attacks, Study Says

Research suggests that the incidence of heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths was cut in half among Olmsted County, Minn., residents after a smoke-free ordinance took effect.

CDC Tool Tracks Antibiotic Use in Hospitals

Previously, the agency could track it in doctors' offices only.

In Unfit Men, Heavy Work May Increase Fatal Heart Disease Risk: Study

The results suggest that by maintaining good physical fitness, men who engage in heavy labor can avoid increased risk, and possibly even lower their risk of death from heart disease.

U.S. Supreme Court Accepts Three Appeals of Health Care Reform Law

Lyle Denniston wrote on the SCOTUSblog that the court's allowing 5.5 hours for oral argument "appeared to be a modern record."

Washington Dept. of Labor Proposes Standards for Medical Providers Who Treat Injured Workers

The proposed standards are the first step in creating a statewide network of providers to treat people with work-related injuries and illnesses.



Two Winners in 2011 AMA App Challenge

The Rounder app won the physician category and the JAMA Clinical Challenge app won the resident/fellow/medical student category, the American Medical Association announced Nov. 11.

Firefighter Injuries Down Eight Percent from 2009: NFPA

The report takes a look at the number of 2010 firefighter injuries, injuries by type of duty, exposures to infectious diseases, and how a community’s size affects the number of injuries within a fire department.

Health Care Wastes Get WHO's Attention

A new fact sheet from the World Health Organization sums up the problems of improper sharps disposal and health care waste that often is not separated into hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams in low-income countries.

Toyota Demonstrates Patient Handling Robot

The company recently displayed four new robots that are part of its Toyota Partner Robot series. These four are for use in nursing and health care.

NIOSH Releases New Fact Sheet on Diacetyl Exposure

NIOSH recently compiled a fact sheet on lung disease that can result from exposure to flavoring chemicals containing diacetyl.

FDA Launches Website on Proper Disposal of Sharps

After being used, many sharps end up in home and public trash cans or flushed down toilets. This kind of improper disposal puts people, such as sanitation workers, sewage treatment workers, and janitors at risk for needlestick injuries or infection with viruses.

New Humana President in Line for CEO

Bruce D. Broussard, who had been CEO of McKesson Specialty Health, has been appointed president and is expected to become Humana’s CEO when the current chief, Mike McCallister, retires in 12-18 months.

Long-Term Caregiver Training Initiative Passes

Washington state voters on Nov. 8 passed Initiative 1163, which would raise the required basic training for most new long-term care workers from 34 hours to 75 hours, by a 2-to-1 margin.

IOM to Release Report on Health IT and Patient Safety

The "Health IT and Patient Safety: Building Systems for Better Care" report will be released Nov. 10.

Tips for Adjusting to Time Change as Clocks Fall Back this Weekend

While the time change provides an additional hour of slumber, sleep experts from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago warn that the one hour shift in time can be disruptive to sleep patterns and recommend people use the end of daylight saving time as a time to evaluate their sleep habits.

NIOSH Updates Infectious Disease Exposure List for Emergency Response Workers

The resources include a list of potentially life-threatening infectious diseases, including emerging infectious diseases, and specifying those diseases routinely transmitted through airborne or aerosolized means.

November 2011

The Real Story Behind AED Failures

Today’s AEDs are more reliable than ever, and recalls have declined.

Product Showcase

  • Safety Knives

    The Safety Knife Company has developed a quality range of safety knives for all industries. Designed so that fingers cannot get to the blades, these knives will safely cut through cardboard, tape, strapping, shrink or plastic wrap or a variety of other packing materials. Because these knives have no exposed blades and only cut cardboard deep, they will not only protect employees against lacerations but they will also save product. The Metal Detectable versions have revolutionary metal detectable polypropylene knife bodies specifically for the food and pharmaceutical industries. This material can be detected and rejected by typical detection machines and is X-ray visible. Read More

  • The MGC Simple Plus

    The MGC Simple Plus is a simple-to-use, portable multi gas detector that runs continuously for three years without being recharged or routinely calibrated after its initial charge and calibration during manufacturing. The detector reliably tests a worksite’s atmosphere for hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and combustible gases (LEL). Its durability enables the detector to withstand the harshest treatment and environments, hence earning it an IP 68 rating. The MGC Simple Plus is also compatible with a variety of accessories, such as the GCT External Pump. Visit gascliptech.com for more information. Read More

  • Full Line of Defense Against Combustible Dust Nilfisk

    Nilfisk provides a comprehensive range of industrial vacuums meticulously crafted to adhere to NFPA 652 housekeeping standards, essential for gathering combustible dust in Class I, Group D, and Class II, Groups E, F & G environments or non-classified settings. Our pneumatic vacuums are meticulously engineered to fulfill safety criteria for deployment in hazardous surroundings. Leveraging advanced filtration technology, Nilfisk ensures the secure capture of combustible materials scattered throughout your facility, ranging from fuels, solvents, and metal dust to flour, sugar, and pharmaceutical powders. Read More

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