Zika Virus: NIOSH Offers Steps to Prevent Mosquito Bites

A new page on the NIOSH provides information on the Zika virus, including information regarding travel, prevention and risks.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne disease that has been reported in several countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. Although the disease is commonly spread from the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, it can also be sexually transmitted. Scientists have also linked Zika virus infection during pregnancy with microcephaly, a birth defect that is a sign of incomplete brain development. They also are investigating other problems linked to Zika infection during pregnancy.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika infection. CDC suggests preventive measures such as wearing long sleeves and using EPA-registered insect repellents. NIOSH encourages workers to avoid traveling to the affected areas.

Source: http://www.asse.org/zika-virus-niosh-offers-steps-to-prevent-mosquito-bites/

Vocabulary:

Disease: transmitida 

Commonly: geralmente 

Spread: espalhar 

Long sleeves: manga comprida

Currently: atualmente

Birth defect: defeito de nascença

Program Overview

Associate Safety Professionals (ASP) are persons who performs at least 50% of professional level safety duties including; are making worksite assessments to determine risks, potential hazards and controls, evaluating risks and hazard control measures, investigating incidents, maintaining and evaluating incident and loss records, and preparing emergency response plans. Other duties could include; hazard recognition, fire protection, regulatory compliance, health hazard control, ergonomics, hazardous materials management, environmental protection, training, accident and incident, investigations, advising management, record keeping, emergency response, managing safety programs, product safety and/or security.

Vocabulário:

duties - direitos

maintaining - manutenção

recognition - reconhecimento

environmental protection - proteção ambiental

record keeping - manutenção de registros

Fonte: http://www.bcsp.org/ASP

Thalis

Health risks beneath the painted beauty in America’s nail salons

The desire for beautiful nails has fueled an entire nail salon that’s growing rapidly, with storefronts cropping up on every major street across the nation. Yet, the recent articles from the New York Times exposed an industry that’s left workers struggling both with unlivable wages and with damaged health. Everyone who enters a nail salon can be affected, yet the workers are the ones left entirely unprotected.

Nail care products contain, in varying amounts, many toxic and potentially hazardous ingredients.
Chemical ingredients in nail care products range from cancer-causing compounds such as formaldehyde to others that disrupt the endocrine system. Researchers have identified toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate – nicknamed the “toxic trio” because of their serious health impacts – as three chemicals of high concern for salon workers.

Toluene is a commonly used solvent that creates a smooth finish across the nail and keeps the pigment from separating in the bottle, but can affect the central nervous system and cause reproductive harm. Its major use is as an additive in gasoline.
Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, is used as a nail-hardening agent and disinfectant for nail care tools.
Exposure to dibutyl phthalate, added to polishes to provide flexibility, has been linked to reproductive problems. In addition to this trio, there are many other harmful chemicals used in nail care products.

Many nail salons lack adequate exhaust ventilation or multiple pathways – such as open windows and doors – to increase indoor-outdoor air exchange. Evaporated chemicals from nail products are often trapped inside salons, meaning workers are continuously exposed. So workers' exposure is amplified: first they experience direct contact with the chemicals in the products, then they continuously breathe in these chemicals within small, poorly ventilated salons...

Source: http://theconversation.com/health-risks-beneath-the-painted-beauty-in-americas-nail-salons-41660


Glossary:

nail salon industry - indústria salão de beleza

growing - crescendo

cropping - corte

commonly - geralmente

nail-hardening agent - agente de endurecimento de unhas

Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161) 
 
This convention provides for the establishment of enterprise-level occupational health services which are entrusted with essentially preventive functions and which are responsible for advising the employer, the workers and their representatives in the enterprise on maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.

Source: http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/subjects-covered-by-international-labour-standards/occupational-safety-and-health/lang--en/index.htm

Vocabulary

Provides: fornece
Establishment: estabelecimento
Advising: avisando
Maintaining: manter

Self-employed - do I have duties?

         In 2011, the Löfstedt Review  recommended that those self-employed whose work activities pose no potential risk of harm to others should be exempt from health and safety law. This recommendation was accepted by Government.

So, from 1 October 2015, if you are self-employed and your work activity poses no potential risk to the health and safety of other workers or members of the public, then health and safety law will not apply to you.

We estimate that health and safety law will no longer apply to 1.7 million self-employed people like novelists, journalists, graphic designers, accountants, , financial advisors and dress-makers, where their work does not pose a risk to the health and safety of others.

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/self-employed/index.htm

Vocabulary:

Duties: deveres

Those: essa

Whose: de quem

Harm: dano

Self- employed: Trabalhadores por conta própria

apply: aplicar

novelist: romancista

accountats: cotabilistas

financial advisors: consultores financeiros

drees makers: fabricante de vestidos

Paving the Way to Safer Roads

​​With advancements in cell phone technology, distracted driving has been an increasing and misunderstood trend. In fact, findings from a recent NSC public opinion poll indicate 80% of drivers across America incorrectly believe that hands-free devices are safer than using a handheld phone.

Learn why distracted driving, regardless if it's hands-free or handheld, is a dangerous threat to roadway safety.

misunderstood - incompreendido

increasing - aumentando

incorrectly - incorretamente

handheld - portátil

believe - acreditar

Fonte: http://www.nsc.org/learn/pages/nsc-on-the-road.aspx?var=mnd

Thalis

Communicate About Safety By Starting Conversations

Communicate About Safety By Starting Conversations

©iStockphoto.com/Peter Booth

OSH managers are tasked with communicating safety to departments, management and employees, which can be a difficult job. Dave Collins of Riskex says that the key to driving safety ownership is to create conversations, rather than implement rules. In his LinkedIn Pulse article, Collins says that while effective communication is crucial to ensuring workplace safety, OSH managers must influence people to effect change, rather than relying on a hierarchical authority. “You might be tempted to set rules and enforce penalties, but this approach can cause workers to view workplace safety and health as the fun police,” Collins says. “It also risks shifting the focus from safety and wellbeing to compliance and box-ticking.”

Do Less, Listen More

Collins touches on the term humble inquiry, which was introduced by Edgar H. Schein in his bookHumble Inquiry: The Gentle Art ofAsking Instead of Telling. This concept focuses on listening, understanding and communicating as an effective strategy to involve people, rather than instructing them. Part of humble inquiry is helping others understand the risks that are associated with what they are doing. Examples of this could be asking workers questions such as:

• What do you have ahead of you today?
• What things do you think could go wrong?
• Let’s imagine for a minute something could go wrong. What might it be?

Answers from these questions will help OSH managers better understand how employees make decisions, and starting these conversations will lead to better ownership and personal accountability for safety by the workers themselves, Collins says.

Ricardo Podestá

10 Steps to a Safe and Healthy Workplace

10 Steps to a Safe and Healthy Workplace

1-Understand how a safety and healthy workplace benefits workers, families, businesses, and the community.

2-Know your responsibilities for keeping a safe and healthy workplace.

3-Develop a system for organizing safety and health efforts.

4-Know the laws and regulations for the work you do.

5-Address specific workplace hazards and have regular saving meetings.

6-Cultivate a safety culture with mutual respect and open communication

7-Celebrate your accomplishments and defer OSHA inspections with SHARP or other recognition events.

8-Find out the best solutions to safety and health problems.

9-Ask questions about workplace safety and health.

10-Get help. Keeping a workplace safe and healthy is not something you can do alone. SafetyWorks! is one of many sources of help, and it's a good one.

If you want to start a safety program or give a boost to an existing one, call SafetyWorks! Our professional safety and health consultants and trainers know your industry --- and they know your time is valuable. An onsite audit will give you professional and practical assistance. Training teaches everyone how to work safely and avoid injuries.

Creating a Safe and Healthy Workplace Begins with You! Take the First Step. Start Now!

Source: http://www.safetyworksmaine.com/safe_workplace/

Vocabulary:

accomplishments - realizações

benefits  - beneficio

Develop - desenvolva

find - descubra

First Step - primeiro passo

valuable - valioso

What makes well-designed government policy?

Safe Work Australia has collaborated with a range of Commonwealth agencies to develop a framework that embeds work health and safety considerations into the policy development cycle.

Michelle Baxter, Safe Work Australia’s CEO, said that good government policy addresses all health and safety risks that might arise from its implementation and actively manages risk at every stage in policy development and implementation.

“Workers’ and others’ health and safety should not be harmed as a result of government program and service delivery,” said Ms Baxter.

“This framework helps policymakers apply the principles of good work design at critical decision points in policy development, providing the greatest opportunity to design out safety hazards and incorporate effective risk control measures.”

Safe Work Australia will continue to progress the framework’s inclusion in Commonwealth government policy guidance documents and to develop guides, tools and other user resources to support its implementation.

Source: http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/news/pages/tn31032016

Vocabulary:

framework: estrutura

actively: ativamente

harmed: prejudicada

policymakers: formuladores de política

guidance: orientação

guides: guias

tools: ferramentas 

History

The research and regulation of occupational safety and health are a relatively recent phenomenon. As labor movements arose in response to worker concerns in the wake of the industrial revolution, worker's health entered consideration as a labor-related issue.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_safety_and_health

Vocabulary

research: pesquisa
relatively: relativamente
phenomenon: fenômeno
entered: entrou

Aluna: Meyla

Know Your Rights

Every state or territory has a different legislative framework, but there are some basic rights to safe workplaces that every worker is entitled to:

• Not to have your health and safety put at risk from work that is carried out
• Be provided with safe systems of work
• Have your employer monitor your health and conditions at the workplace
• Be provided with facilities at work
• Be provided with accomodation, if needed
• Be consulted on work health and safety issues that affect your work
• Refuse to perform work that you reasonable think would expose you to serious risk

Representation

• Request a workgroup to be established - to elect a Health and Safety Representative (HSR)
• Request that your Union represent you in negotiations for the establishment of a designated work group (DWG)
• Be represented by your HSR
• Have your HSR present at any interview between you and your employer or WHS Inspector
• Seek the help of a HSR to direct that unsafe work cease
• Change your HSR

Souce: http://www.safeatwork.org.au/rights-and-obligations/know-your-rights/httpsafeatworkorgauknow-your-rights

Vocabulary:

Every: cada

Framework: estrutura

Entitled: entitulado

Put at risk: colocar em risco

carried out: realizado

acconodation: alojamento

Issues: problemas

Refuse: recusar

Reasonable: razoável

would: seria

Request: pedir

elect: eleito

Seek: buscar

cease: cessar

HSR: Health & Safety Committee ( Comitê de Saúde e Segurança)

WHS: Work Health & Safety ( Trabalho Saudável e Seguro) 

Protecting Outdoor Workers

As summer proceeds, many Ontarians are welcoming warmer days outdoors in the wake of record-breaking lows this past winter.

But working outdoors presents many hazards. Working where it is hot puts stress on your body’s cooling system. When heat is combined with other stresses such as hard physical work, loss of fluids, fatigue, or some pre-existing medical conditions, it may lead to heat-related illness, disability or even death. Learn how to protect workers from heat stress.

Workers who work in certain outdoor areas are also at risk for tick bites and developing Lyme disease, and should protect themselves. Blacklegged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease are in Ontario, and in more areas than previously thought.

The warmer temperatures also bring out the mosquitoes. The chance of being bitten by a mosquito infected with the West Nile Virus is very small. However, as a safety precaution it is still important to minimize exposure to mosquitoes in areas where the West Nile Virushas been documented.

While outdoors, workers can also touch hazardous plants, which is some cases can lead to serious skin reactions and permanent scarring. Learn about common hazardous plants in Ontario.

The summer is often a time for work and play for many Ontario workers and their families. But learn to take the necessary precautions to ensure that hazards found outdoors are properly addressed.

Source:  http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/hsawtoday/issue11.php#top

Vocabulary:

Outdoor: Ao ar livre

Ontarians: residentes em Ontário - Canadá

Welcoming: acolhendo

cooling: resfriamento

physical work: trabalho físico

heat related illness: doenças relacionadas ao calor

disability: incapacidade

tick bites: picadas de carrapatos

Lyme: Doença de Lyme ( infecção transmitida por carrapatos)

bring out: trazer para fora

bitten: sendo

West Nile Virus: Vírus do Nilo Ocidental

scarring : cicatrizes

ensure: garantir

properly: corretamente

Two-thirds of mental health sufferers don't admit problem to employer

Two-thirds of mental health sufferers don't admit problem to employer

Only 35 per cent of UK workers who have suffered from mental health problems have talked to their manager about these issues, new research has revealed.

The study of 1,388 workers commissioned by Willis PMI Group, part of Willis Towers Watson, found that silence was particularly prevalent among younger employees. Only 26 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds say they talked to their manager, compared to 38 per cent of 45 to 64-year-olds. The biggest reason why workers suffering with mental health issues do not talk to management is the fear it will impact upon job prospects. This was cited by 33 per cent of respondents, followed by the worry they would not receive adequate support (30 per cent), concern their manager would not understand (28 per cent) and the fear it might make management think less of them (23 per cent). 

“Mental illness remains an incredibly delicate subject and one that requires urgent attention from employers in order to better manage staff wellbeing and sickness absence,” said Mike Blake, Director at Willis PMI Group. “It is unlikely we would ever see a case with physical illness where most people are unwilling to report it to management, so companies must ensure employees with mental health issues do not suffer in silence. The proper recording of sickness and absence related to mental health is a crucial first step in tackling the problem, but this can only happen if staff are given the assurance they can report issues in confidentiality and without judgement.” 

The Willis PMI Group study further revealed that 30 per cent of UK workers believe mental illness is a private issue that should be dealt with by the individual. Once more, older generations appear more open, with only 26 per cent of 45 to 64-year-olds holding this belief, compared to 32 per cent of 16 to 44-year-olds. Workers were also found to be more open about mental health issues outside of work. Eighty-two per cent of those surveyed said they would talk to their family and friends if they were suffering from mental health issues.

Glossary:

prevalent: Prevalecente

research: Pesquisa

incredibly: Incrivelmente

followed: Seguido

suffered : Sofreu

Two-thirds: Dois terços

judgement: Julgamento

Source:https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/health-and-wellbeing/two-thirds-of-mental-health-sufferers-dont-admit-problem-to-employer/

How does health and wellbeing really impact employees?

How does health and wellbeing really impact employees?

OECD, CBI and ONS reports concur that the UK has a poor and worsening record on productivity, and whilst we would support that a lack of focus surrounding health and wellbeing is impact on employee motivation, engagement and performance, we are concerned that industry is missing the obvious.
As a global, independent think-tank, Leesman measures employee satisfaction levels with numerous workplace features and services. We have spoken to more than 140,000 employees across the world and the latest data has revealed that only 55 percent of employees think their workspace enables them to work productively, and only 49 percent of employees are proud of where they work.
So whilst we would applaud any employer investing in efforts to improve the health and fitness of their employees, these efforts should not be at the expense of, or as some sort of diversionary tactic to detract from the core issue – that for growing numbers of employees, the physical and technological infrastructure of their workplace does not allow them to work productively, let alone perform at their peak. In a market where the battle for talent will become increasingly combative, employers are being dazzled by the appeal of sophisticated “wellness programmes” without considering the direct impact of a decade of under-investment in the physical workplace.
The mental health and wellness impact for an employee who wakes each morning knowing that the workplace they are about to commute to does not support them working productively is hardly going to exhibit loyalty, pride or dedication. Or invest an ounce of discretionary effort. For us, this is where the productivity gap becomes a tangible drain on business performance.

Glossary:

wellbeing: Bem estar
worsening: Piora
whilst : Enquanto
surrounding: Em torno de
concerned: Preocupado
enables: Habilita
proud: Orgulhoso



Source:https://www.thehrdirector.com/business-news/health-and-wellbeing/how-does-health-and-wellbeing-really-impact-employees/

Drugs and alcohol at work is - your company protected?

Drugs and alcohol at work is - your company protected?

With an increasing emphasis on a company’s responsibility to ensure its employees are fit for work, and the UK Government clamping down on drink and drug drivers, businesses are now being urged more than ever before to ensure that they are adopting best practice health and safety procedures for drugs and alcohol misuse in the workplace.
According to the Department for Transport drugs and alcohol cost British businesses in excess of £6 billion per year in lost productivity and a third of employers say alcohol and drug misuse is a problem at work.  On top of this there is also the potential damage to a business’s reputation should they be held accountable for an employee’s wrongdoing. However, with the plethora of testing equipment and information on offer, it is not always easy to know where to start with implementing an effective drugs and alcohol testing policy.

Suzannah Robin is an alcohol and drug safety expert at AlcoDigital.  She works with dozens of corporate and governmental organisations addressing their alcohol and drug testing needs.For the last 12 years she has helped numerous businesses to implement their drug and alcohol testing policies for their staff through certified training programmes.  These include the correct use of safety equipment, accurately interpreting results and spotting the different signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol misuse.She said: “We have helped companies in many different industry sectors to implement robust alcohol and drug policies and one of the things that concerns all of them from the outset is how their employees are going to react to a new testing policy being introduced.

Glossary:

Drugs: Drogas
Adopting: Adotando
wrongdoing: Transgressão
plethora: Abundancia, grande numero
addressing: Abordando
accurately: Precisamente
misuse: Abuso

Source:http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Business+&+Finance/Health+&+Safety

Machinery.

Machinery.

    Machines help get the job done, but can also be dangerous if not used properly. Read the owner's manuals carefully. Make sure you receive complete instructions and are properly trained before using any tool or machine. 

Glossary: Dangerous: Perigo/ Perigoso 

                Properly: Corretamente.

                Carefully: Cuidadosamente.

                Read: Leia/ Ler.

                tooL: Ferramenta. 

Source:  http://www.ccohs.ca/topics/hazards/safety/machinery/.

OSHA Law & Regulations

Welcome to OSHA's Law and Regulations page. This page contains links to all current OSHA standards, provides information on the rulemaking process used to develop workplace health and safety standards, and includes links to all Federal Register notices that are currently open for comment. This page also provides links to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) and other relevant laws. Finally, this page includes resources to explore the Federal Register, the Code of Federal Regulations, and RegInfo.gov the federal government's public portal for all agency regulatory information.

Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace. OSHA's mission is to assure safe and healthful workplaces by setting and enforcing standards, and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards. Employers must also comply with the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, which requires employers to keep their workplace free of serious recognized hazards.

 source: https://www.osha.gov/law-regs.html

Resources – recursos

Assure – assegurar

Enforcing – aplicação

Outreach – divulgação

Recognized – reconhecido

Workplace Health Safety & Security Procedures

One of the aspects of maintaining a productive workplace is making sure that there are effective health, safety and security procedures in place. Effective procedures protect your employees, customers, guests and facilities from harm and damage. Review your health and safety procedures regularly with your management team to see if any changes need to be made to make the policies more effective.


Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/workplace-health-safety-security-procedures-2608.html


Glossary:

• Maintaining - Manutenção
• Guests - Convidados
• Harm - Prujuízo
• Made - Feito

A fatal March in Nebraska: OSHA says 4 dead in 13 days

A fatal March in Nebraska: OSHA says 4 dead in 13 days

It was a rough March for employers in Nebraska. OSHA received reports of four worker fatalities starting on March 9th, and it’s urging state employers to beef up safety programs. 

OSHA’s Omaha Area Office is investigating four worker deaths in the Husker state and offering compliance assistance, tips and other information to help employers there.

The string of deaths started on March 9th when a 62-year-old worker fell more than 38 feet while installing a platform in preparation for work on a grain leg. The accident occurred at a construction site in Sutherland, NE.

The other three worker fatalities include:

§  Jason Weston, 42, suffered fatal injuries caused by an auger as he drew grain from a bin on March 16th. The man was a superintendent at a grain handling site in Hayland, NE. OSHA said its history with the company, Cooperative Producers Inc., is extensive.

§  John Hansen, 42, was struck and killed by a vehicle at a road construction site in Walthill, NE, on March 20th. He was a temporary employee for Labor Ready working as a flagger. The driver was jailed on a charge of driving under the influence of drugs, according to WOWT-NBC Omaha.

§  Jimmy Spencer, 61, died in a trench collapse as he was installing residential sewer lines in Alliance, NE, on March 21st. Spencer was a plumber for Clau-Chin Construction, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old worker was also injured.

So far, four workers have died in Nebraska this year. Last year, 12 workers died on the job in the state. OSHA has opened 41 investigations in Nebraska this year, and it has received reports of 32 worker hospitalizations.

Source - http://www.safetynewsalert.com/a-fatal-march-in-nebraska-osha-says-4-dead-in-13-days/

Rough - apero

Urging – instando

Compliance – conformidade

String – corda

Grain – grão

Auger – trado

Safety and health in agriculture

This code of practice is intended to raise awareness of the hazards and risks associated with agriculture and promote their effective management and control; to help prevent occupational accidents and diseases and improve the working environment in practice; to encourage governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders to cooperate to prevent accidents and diseases; to promote more positive attitudes and behaviour towards occupational safety and health (OSH) in agriculture throughout the sector; ensure that good workplace health and safety practices are applied to all workers in the workplace regardless of age or gender.


raise: aumentar
awareness: conscientização
encourage: incentivar
stakeholders: partes interessadas
age: idade
gender: sexo
regardless: independentemente
towards: em relação
behaviour: comportamento

fonte:http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/standards-and-instruments/codes/WCMS_161135/lang--en/index.htm