Browsing: Health and mental wellbeing | Page 141

Workers exposed to common bio-aerosols are prone to fatigue, in addition to respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and nose congestion, according to European researchers.

Nearly 50 per cent of workers are exposed to substances that cause or aggravate asthma, but incidents of occupational asthma can be all but wiped out through proper control measures, according to a new Safe Work Australia report.

Workers who are overweight but physically active are nearly as likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome as their inactive, obese colleagues, a US study has found.

A law firm has called for a special code of practice to protect workers with mental health conditions from intrusive insurance surveillance. Meanwhile, another firm has warned that some workplace psychological health "solutions" can cause more harm than good.

A worker who put on five kilograms while recovering from a workplace injury has been refused costs for weight-loss medication, after a tribunal found his injury reduced his inclination rather than capacity to exercise.

Two new studies, from the US and Norway, have identified common substances that cause kidney cancer in workers.

A recent $436,000 injury damages case shows how important it is for employers to proactively look for and deal with signs of worker distress, employment and WHS lawyer Donna Trembath says in this Q&A with OHS Alert.

Employers can encourage workers to consult assistance programs to tackle problem drinking by raising awareness and normalising the issue, according to a psychologist and program provider.

A world-first study has found that workers in "high strain" jobs are less likely to adhere to prescribed medication for managing chronic disease, increasing the risk of sick leave.

• Anti-black lung strategy commences; and
  
• Property managers unaware of safety duties.