Coronavirus, Drug Overdose, and Ergonomics in the Workplace

IN THE NEWS

COVID-19 and Workplace Prevention

Our Industrial hygiene staff can play a crucial role regarding infectious disease control particularly dealing with the Coronavirus. We can assist in the following ways:

Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for cleaning/disinfecting and other surface contact tasks/activities
Providing just-in-time training on proper PPE donning and doffing techniques
Determining whether certain types of PPE and other equipment should be discarded or if it can be reused after proper cleaning
Selecting and providing training on the use of decontamination chemicals and techniques
Managing waste that is known or is suspected to contain an infectious substance
Helping management and workers understand, and recognize Coronavirus risks
Creating or revisiting existing infectious control plans

We have experience with training on infectious control practices with the US Federal Custom Border Patrol Officers at JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports during the Ebola virus events.

For more information regarding Coronavirus visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website or contact PHASE Associates with any questions.

OS HA's Guidelines on Coronavirus

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released on March 9, guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the workplace.

Drug Overdose in the Workplace and the Importance of Safety Programs

In a science blog from the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, posted on February 3, 2020, they reported that the drug overdose epidemic continues to afflict our country. Nationally, there were more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involving opioids (such as fentanyl, heroin and hydrocodone), stimulants (such as cocaine and methamphetamine), and alcohol. Nearly 70% of these deaths involved an opioid. (Continue reading)... PHASE Associates can put together a drug health & safety written program. Contact Ken Bickerton for more information.

Ergonomic Workstations

A recent article in AIHA's January 2020 Synergist highlighted the topic of ergonomic workstations. Recently, many companies have incorporated "active (exercise)" workstations (i.e., treadmills, bicycles, balance ball chairs) into their facilities to combat the health effects of sedentary administrative work. Although these "active" stations may be intended to improve worker health, research has not indicated that there is a significant health benefit from using these stations or sit-stand workstations as the only. It is best to maintain overall healthy workplace practices, including maintaining proper sitting posture, taking frequent standing and/or walking breaks, and changing work postures. Is your office ergonomically efficient? PHASE Associates has extensive experience in holistic ergonomic assessment services including evaluations of office and manufacturing processes.

For more information, please contact Adam Schwarzenberg, CIH, CSP at (973) 597-0750.