Individuals with chronic occupational exposure to lead have an 80 percent higher odds of developing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) than individuals who do not have the exposure.
The top worker victories of 2014; work-related deaths in coal mining industry projected to reach new low; police officer deaths reach new high; and a major Southern grocery store chain offers benefits to legally married same-sex couples.
by Liz Borkowski. Now that it’s 2014, millions more people in the US have health insurance coverage (either Medicaid or private insurance), thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Two different Medicaid efforts in Oregon hold lessons about what it might take to turn expanded insurance coverage into better health outcomes.
Advocates of a single payer state health insurance system will need to acknowledge and embrace two truths: it will eliminate private health insurers and it will be a tax.
by Kim Krisberg. Two years ago, domestic workers in Houston, Texas, took part in the first national survey documenting the conditions they face on the job. The experience — a process of shedding light on the often isolating and invisible world of domestic work — was so moving that Houston workers decided they didn’t want to stop there. Instead, they decided it was time to put their personal stories to paper. (While we take a breather during this holiday season, we’re re-posting content from earlier in the year. This post was originally published on June 30, 2014.)
by Liz Borkowski, MPH. Last week’s White House Summit on Working Families served both as a pitch to employers to adopt more family-friendly policies, and as a push for policies that require all employers to evolve for 21st-century realities. (While we take a breather during this holiday season, we’re re-posting content from earlier in the year. This post was originally published on June 30, 2014.)
Government
Fatal work injury that killed Chandler Warren, 19, was preventable, Tennessee OSHA cites FedEx
The fatal work-related injuries that killed Chandler Warren could have been prevented had his employer followed worker safety regulations.
Affordable Care Act
ACA predicted to have positive impact on insurance disparities; Medicaid expansion key to widening access for black Americans
With the second round of open enrollment now underway, the Affordable Care Act is expected to help narrow racial and ethnic disparities in insurance coverage, a new report finds. However, not all communities are predicted to benefit equally. Because nearly half of the country’s legislatures decided against expanding Medicaid eligibility, black Americans may continue to face difficulties finding quality, affordable health coverage.
Why is it that so many companies boast about their “green” practices to protect the environment, while allowing (or creating) hazards in their employees’ work environment?
Injury Control & Violence
Not an “accident”: Gary Keenen, 26, and Kelsey Bellah, 27 suffer fatal work-related injuries near Colgate, OK
This week’s snapshot of a work-related fatality in the U.S. This one occurred on December 19 just west of Colgate, OK.