Occupational Health Management Archives – February 1, 2009
February 1, 2009
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Faced with budget cuts? 'Downsize' some of your occupational health programs
Costly consultants. Personal trainers. Health coaches. Nutritionists. These are some examples of occupational health and wellness programs that might be candidates for cost-cutting, as companies seek to improve their bottom lines. -
Ask these local resources for free wellness help
Asking local experts to help employees improve their health at minimal or no cost is a great way to keep program costs low or even completely free. -
Take steps if occ health might be in trouble
This is the last of a three-part series on how occupational health professionals can survive in a down economy. This month, we cover how to explore other opportunities in occupational health if your department faces downsizing. -
A small-scale wellness program got big results
Because the average UPS driver walks four and one-half miles a day, you'd think it would be difficult to convince them to come in early for a two-mile warm-up walk, but they do. This is just one example of how the company's Petaluma, CA, facility succeeded in changing the lifestyles of its workers. -
Let employees decide how to be safer and healthier
Instead of management telling UPS employees how to improve their health and safety, the company's 12,000 front-line employees, who sit on more than 3,000 "comprehensive health and safety process" committees, decide that for themselves. -
Needlestick benchmark can be safety 'snapshot'
Suppose needlesticks at one of your health care facilities rose this year compared to last year. That doesn't sound so good. Clearly things are not going in the right direction. But you need more information to understand what's happening. You need a benchmark for your needlesticks. -
Are sleepy workers a threat to safety, productivity?
About one-third of 1,000 workers said they had fallen asleep or become very sleepy at work in the previous month, according to a recent National Sleep Foundation survey. Also, about 10% of adults reported not getting enough sleep every day for the previous month, says a recently published study from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). -
Simple changes can benefit shift workers
Shift workers are at higher risk for injuries, accidents, and absenteeism, but simple work schedule changes can improve the health of these employees, according to a new review of 26 studies of shift workers, including autoworkers, nurses, and chemical plant employees. -
Employees might be going to India for surgery
Wellpoint is testing a program that allows patients the option of going to India for elective surgery, according to The New York Times. There are no out-of-pocket medical costs, and travel is free for the patient and a companion, according to the article -
Telephone may be effective in weight loss maintenance
Face-to-face and telephone follow-up sessions appear to be more effective in the maintenance of weight loss for women from rural communities compared with weight loss education alone, according to a report in the Nov. 24 Archives of Internal Medicine. In addition, telephone counseling appears to be just as effective as face-to-to face counseling for weight loss management. -
Press 1 if you want children to eat right
Imagine turning the tech era's most annoying invention voice-response telephone systems into something good.