Worker health and wellness

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Atlanta – Opioids, including those obtained by prescription as well as illegal forms such as heroin, were involved in more than 33,000 overdose deaths in 2015 – more than any year on record and nearly quadruple the number of overdoses recorded in 2000, according to the latest issue of "Business Pulse" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that as many as 2.7 million U.S. workers may have asthma caused or aggravated by workplace conditions. And federal statistics show that about 11 million workers are exposed to at least one of several agents associated with occupational asthma.

Washington – A proposal to clarify regulations for employee wellness programs is stirring controversy between Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

Washington – A series of free, confidential health screenings will be available for coal miners as part of the NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.

Washington – Are you getting enough sleep before you show up for work? For employees in a number of industry sectors, including health care, food service and transportation, the answer frequently is “no.”

Fatigue has been in the spotlight as a safety risk in the workplace. Experts say employers, as well as workers, play a role in combating the issue.

Baltimore – Health experts are calling for more research-based workplace wellness programs after a recent study showed that nearly all workers at 20 large companies face a heightened risk of heart disease and stroke due to high blood pressure, unhealthy diet, obesity and other risk factors.

Boston – Women whose jobs require heavy lifting or shift work may experience decreased fertility levels, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Washington – NIOSH has released a workbook it calls “a practical starting point for employers, workers, labor representatives, and other professionals interested in implementing workplace safety and health programs aligned with the Total Worker Health approach.”

Washington – Texas and Wyoming earned the lowest possible scores from the American Lung Association when it comes to smoke-free workplaces, the association states in its annual “State of Tobacco Control” report for 2017.