Workplace Mental Helath and Well Being

"Growing up in Miami, I often spent my after-school hours and weekends in the small clinic that my father and mother ran. As I watched my immigrant parents work, I could see that their jobs provided them with not only a paycheck, but also purpose, dignity, and community. The connection between their work and their mental health and well-being was clear. And they knew it. For all the financial hardships and social struggles they faced during those years, their work allowed them to support their family, connect with others, and find meaning. Their work helped them thrive.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work, and the relationship many workers have with their jobs. The link between our work and our health has become even more evident.

Today, more and more workers are worried about making ends meet, dealing with chronic stress, and struggling to balance the demands of both work and personal lives. The toll on their mental health is growing. The pandemic also sparked a reckoning among many workers who no longer feel that sacrificing their health, family, and communities for work is an acceptable trade-off. Organizations are also increasingly aware of another trade-off: when the mental health of workers suffers, so does workplace productivity, creativity, and retention.

The pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to rethink how we work. We have the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being. Doing so will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show them that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their long-term professional growth. This may not be easy. But it will be worth it, because the benefits will accrue to both workers and organizations. A healthy workforce is the foundation for thriving organizations and a healthy community...
Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A. Vice Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Surgeon General of the United States.."
Workplace and mental healthh 

Exposure to electronic cigarettes in indoor workplaces

"Electronic cigarettes can negatively affect indoor air quality and pose a risk of secondhand exposure in workplaces. Learn more about what employers can do to eliminate exposures.

Electronic cigarettes are also called “e-cigarettes” or “e-cigs.” Some e-cigarettes look like regular traditional cigarettes but some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. When a user breathes in on an e-cigarette, it heats a liquid to form a mixture of very small liquid droplets and gases in the air that are inhaled directly into their lungs. These droplets are approximately one to two micrometers in size (the diameter of a human hair is around 100 micrometers). Both the droplets and gases can contain harmful chemicals.¹ When the user breaths out, a portion of this mixture is released into their surroundings, which can negatively impact indoor air quality.

Using e-cigarettes is common in some U.S. workplaces. Employees in indoor workplaces that allow using e-cigarettes are at risk of involuntary secondhand exposure to these harmful chemicals. Further, many non-user employees perceive that using electronic cigarettes at work contributes to reduced productivity.² Examples of these workplaces include:

• Homes
• Vehicles
• Buildings
  • E-cigarette retailers
  • Bars
  • Nightclubs

Potential harmful effects

The very small size of particles given off by e-cigarettes means that they can deposit in the mouth, nose, and deep in the lungs of user and non-user employees.³ Additionally, NIOSH researchers report concerns for primary users such as:

• Cavities and gum diseases
• Upper and lower respiratory tract irritations as well as lung cancer
• Irritation and toxicity (short- and long- term) to the skin, urinary tract, and liver⁴

Prevent exposures in the workplace

Employers can:

• Establish a smoke-free indoor workplace, including free of e-cigarettes, to protect employees from involuntary, secondhand exposures.
• Promote smoking cessation programs as part of an overall tobacco-free workplace.

Employees can:

• Where possible, choose employment at a tobacco-free workplace.
• Encourage co-workers or personally seek resources for e-cigarette (and tobacco smoking) cessation, for example by calling the free smoking quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW..."
  E-Cigarettes 

Strengthening Workplace Health, One Resource at a Time

"Use CDC Workplace Health Resource Center to help employees improve their health.

Isabel Kurita of the Boise School District in Idaho promotes healthy lifestyles among employees to lower risks like obesity that may lead to chronic diseases like diabetes. “We have the same concerns as everyone else in the country when it comes to health risks. We want to make sure we have behavior change programs to reach as many people as possible.”

The wellness coordinator for 3,200 employees and retirees, Kurita was happy to find a new place for good ideas and tools to improve her team’s health.

It’s the Workplace Health Resource Center (WHRC), a new website CDC launched in August 2017 with more than 200 tools to help employers build their wellness programs—from breakroom posters to guides on how to reduce heart disease and stroke.

WHRC offers these free resources for organizations to help employees with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, obesity, smoking, and other health concerns.

CDC introduced the new website at the Public Health Grand Rounds, a monthly series created to encourage discussion on major public health issues like workplace wellness..."
Workplace health

Cancer Prevention in the Workplace

"Employers can help reduce workers’ cancer risk by addressing—

• Harmful exposures in the workplace. Asbestos, diesel exhaust, and radon are examples of harmful substances that may be present in workplace settings. These substances can increase a person’s risk for certain types of cancer and should be eliminated or reduced as much as possible. Smoke from other people’s cigarettes (secondhand smoke)increases cancer risk in workers who don’t use tobacco themselves, and tobacco-free workplace policies can help protect workers. Outdoor workers are often exposed to the sun for long periods of time, which increases their risk for skin cancer. Providing shade and protective gear to outdoor employees can help them stay sun-safe on the job...:
  Cancer & workplace

Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Find the latest data on occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Occupational Injuries and Fatalities Data: 2011

Workplace Injuries and Illness-- 2008
"Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers in 2008 occurred at a rate of 3.9 percent per 100 equivalent full-time workers - a decline from 4.2 cases in 2007, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Similarly, the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses reported in 2008 declined to 3.7 million cases, compared to 4 million cases in 2007. The total recordable case (TRC) injury and illness incident rate among private industry employers has declined significantly each year since 2003, when estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) were first published using the 2002 North American Industry Classification system (NAICS)"

HE20.9202:B 74/kit
The Business Case for Breastfeeding: Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding
Friendly Worksite.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008
658.314082
B968b

A federal government publication in the form of a toolkit consisting of a series of pamphlets and 2 cd-rom disks. Among the pamphlets are:
Toolkit: Resources for Building a Lactation Support Program
The Business Case for Breastfeeding
Easy Steps for Supporting Breastfeeding Employees
Employees Guide to Breastfeeding and Working
Outreach Marketing Guide

The cd-rom are:
Outreach Marketing Guide.
Tool Kit: Resources for Buidling a Lactation Support Program.