The Next Big Workplace Safety Issue … Depression?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by mavity2012

I grew up with a dad from the “Great Generation” who had survived WWII, Korea and Stalag 17.  He and my mom built a pretty impressive business by their hard work.  Not surprisingly, I grew up with that wonderful middle class attitude of “lace up your boots, quit whining, and deal with your problems.”

 

So I guess that it is not surprising that I once considered people who complained of depression or midlife crisis, or sought counseling and medication, to be less tough or not up to the task.  I was wrong.

 

Everyday I am thankful for the values of hard work, discipline, decency and entrepreneurship my parents modeled for me.  The thing is . . . they weren’t perfect.  They had their flaws, frustrations, anger and other challenges.  They were real people facing the same pressures we face in our workplaces.

 

My dad dealt with the understandable stress of starting businesses.  I can’t even imagine how he muscled through the memories of two wars, POW, and the travails of the Great Depression.

 

He didn’t have access to EAP’s or the luxury of a sabbatical.  Medications?  Counseling?  In a small town?  And yet, at his funeral, it was as if one had stepped into Jimmy Stewart’s “It’s A Wonderful Life.”  I’ll never equal his legacy to so many people.  However, he also died at the young age of 64.  I don’t know if he faced depression or other problems, but it would have been understandable if he did.  And he was a damned remarkable guy.

 

My point is that Workplace Depression is a contributing factor to so many of our workplace problems, but now there is help for struggling workers that dad’s generation never thought about. 

 

We must deal with this challenge, and as a first step, we should not stigmatize our coworkers who deal with depression, anxiety and similar challenges.  We’re talking about illness.  Second, we should recognize that while plenty of workers may be unhappy and feel depressed, we’re talking about a more serious matter, and one that may be related to non work activities or physiological issues … but the effects are at work. And work may also be a problem.  As I type this blog, I see a new post on EHS Today: “Study Finds Link Between Negative Working Conditions and Depression.”

 

How costly is depression to the workplace?

 

One study reported in EHS Today on July 12, 2002 that one of every 40 workers were affected by depression.  That same year, a Harvard Medical School study concluded that depression results in more than 200 million lost work days and costs the U.S. economy $43.7 billion annually.  After the last six stressful years, care to guess the current costs?

 

EHS Today reported on August 5, 2013 that an August 2013 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine concluded that employees who worked long hours (at least 60 hours per week) and high job demands (defined as “usually” having too much work) were at higher risk of depression.

 

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) concluded:

 

  • Only about 1/2 of depressed workers are receiving any treatment, and fewer than 1/2 of those individuals receive care consistent with current treatment guidelines.
  • Depression tends to strike workers earlier than other chronic diseases and may affect productivity for a longer period.
  • Workplace productivity is harmed, absenteeism increases, unemployment goes up, and depression can introduce disruptive effects in the work organization.
  • Health and disability costs go up for a variety of reasons.  Imagine the effect on workers comp costs?

Action Points

 

  • Many of us are employers and leaders, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to our businesses to develop the next generation of leaders to do better than did we with regard to workplace balance and mental health.
  • For those of you who may be dealing with some form of depression, anxiety or related condition, seek professional assistance.  If a Neanderthal like me thinks that it’s the “manly” (or “womanly”) thing to do, than I would suggest that your manhood is safe. 
  • Incorporate balance and mental health topics into your Workplace Wellness efforts.  I saw another recent post, “Five Strategies For Dealing With Workplace Depression.”  Information abounds.  I especially liked that post’s lead in:

Although workplace depression may seem like a topic to be avoided at all costs (after all, personal problems don’t belong at work, right?) the facts are startling. Depression affects more than 19 million American adults and costs companies $12 billion in lost work and $11 billion in decreased productivity. And since 80 percent of people suffering from depression can be helped and recover, it is definitely worth an employer or manager’s time to help a depressed employee.

 

  • Just as I recently blogged about the need to incorporate the risks of “Fatigue” and “Distraction” into your safety efforts, consider the effects of depression or other related problems.
  • Notwithstanding my commitment to help those struggling with depression, DO NOT treat performance problems as mental or emotional issues.  Focus on the neutral performance or attitude issues.
  • Beware of characterization of  workplace problems as “disability conditions.”  My Irvine partner Jim McDonald has written extensively about the expansion in the definitions of mental disabilities under the new DSM-V.  Know the ADA.
Posted in ADA, aging workforce, attitude/culture, employer benefit plans, employer policies, safety programs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How Do You Protect Employees Away From the Company?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by mavity2012

Many employees work alone at a customer’s site or on the road with no immediate supervision or the presence of a safety professional to check for hazards. Many employees, such as journeymen electricians and NCCCO crane operators are trained to operate with minimal supervision. Other workers may be less trained or less equipped to individually analyze their setting. Unfortunately, both types of isolated workers may violate OSHA standards, and that misconduct is more of a problem when employees are working alone.

The employer has a duty to insure their employees’ safety even where the employer has no supervision or safety professionals on site. In almost all situations, the employer cannot delegate this responsibility to others for even the most skilled workers.

So a balance must be struck.

Employers may fail to establish programs to effectively supervise these often-highly skilled employees. Or one may have a solid system in which employees confer throughout the day with supervisors, dispatchers and technicians, or the employer may have trained employees to exercise greater responsibility when working alone, but are these procedures documented?

In addition to the practical need to ensure your employees’ safety, OSHA may cite you for inadequate safety measures when remote employees are hurt. Consider how your operation would look I a “Monday morning quarterback” scenario. OSHA may envision supervision or a safety professional checking on the work or surveying the site. Such actions may not be practical for businesses such as a ready mix delivery or a skilled technician working alone on controls.

Employers must continuously remind employees to always pause, consider the site or job’s hazards, and take steps to avoid the hazards. Sure . . . that’s how we expect all employees to operate . . . but with isolated employees, you must really beat this into employees’ heads, and devise processes to remind them to take this approach. Emphasize to such workers, their unique role of having to in essence, conduct their own site safety or hazard analysis. One employer described the “TRACK” mantra their employees follow:

Stop, and

Think through the task
Recognize the hazards
Assess the Risks
Control the Hazards
Keep safety in all tasks

Under construction OSHA standards 1926.20 and 21, an employer must:

(20(b)(2)) maintain accident prevention programs providing for frequent and regular inspections of the job sites, materials, and equipment to be made by competent persons. . . .
(21(b)(2)) the employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.

How does the employer meet its obligations when no supervisory or safety personnel accompany the workers?

Possible actions might include:

 Employers must document thorough training to equip the employees to recognize and avoid hazards.

 The employer should determine the probable range of hazards employees may encounter at various types of jobs . . . and document that it actually carried out such an analysis. Many jobs and sites are similar, and it should be possible to determine the routine hazards. Now, go a step further and consider “non-routine” hazards.

 Establish a rule, procedure or form that requires supervision to pause when assigning employees to non-routine jobs, or assigning employees to jobs with which they are less familiar. In these situations, additional training or some type of safety analysis may be necessary.

 Require employees to at least complete a very basic and short site safety analysis for those small remote jobs. Many electrical and other specialized contractors require the employee to complete a few questions on the work order paperwork requiring the employee to pause and consider hazards.

 Consider using tablets or phone apps for the hazard analysis, and as a means of tracking compliance and providing advice.

 Establish procedures for employers to call in whenever they have any questions or concerns.

 Consider whether it is feasible to spot check line crews, technicians, deliveries, or small crews. Do you do any sort of quality spot checks or inspect final work?

 Consider safety concerns unique to each site, such as lockout for electricians, skylights for those working on roofs, or overhead power lines.

 Ensure that JSA’s are thorough, accurate and consider challenges posed by customer sites.

 Ensure that employees know that you will back them if they refuse unsafe demands by customers.

 If remote employees seldom report to one of your sites where safety and other concerns can be regularly addressed, consider a regular teleconference. Many remote workers may work from home or travel from motel

Posted in construction, employer policies, hazard assessment, OSHA, reducing injuries, safety programs | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

HR Should Budget Money For New Fed Contractor Veterans and Disability Requirements.

Posted on August 28, 2013 by mavity2012

The new regulations for disabled individuals and veterans posted by the OFCCP yesterday afternoon dramatically change the requirements for federal contractors—at least 25% of the employers in the US—so this will be huge. 

Federal contractors will be required to ask applicants about disability status—both pre-hire and then again post-hire—and resurvey the workforce every 5 years. 

They must maintain records and will have a goal that 7% of each job group be disabled.  The EEOC has signed off on the pre-hire disability inquiry.  Similar benchmarking and statistical analysis will be required for veterans as well. Previously, the Affirmative action Plans required for these two statutes were largely boilerplate, but they will now require  statistical analysis similar to the EO 11246 plans.  Practitioners at the recent NILG Conference advised HR to request budget increases of 25-40% to cover the additional work required.

 The new regulations will be effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is expected to occur within 2 weeks.

 Fisher & Phillips has an active OFCCP Practice Group to assist clients with navigating these new regulations.  They will shortly be preparing FAQs for employers.

I trust this F & P Group and they expect the new regs to really cost some money and cause some cursing.  So be advised.

The official announcement, with links, is below.

 Earlier today, Vice President Biden announced two new rules that represent an historic advance for veterans and individuals with disabilities.  By strengthening longstanding regulations under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, the new rules will ensure that qualified workers have more meaningful opportunities to find, secure and keep good jobs.

 For the first time, these rules provide metrics — management tools that inform decision-making and provide real accountability — to measure federal contractors’ progress toward achieving equal opportunity for people with disabilities and protected veterans. 

  • The VEVRAA rule requires contractors to establish an annual hiring benchmark, either based on the national percentage of veterans in the workforce (currently 8%), or based on the best available data and factors unique to their establishments.
  • The Section 503 rule establishes an aspirational 7% utilization goal for the employment of individuals with disabilities.

The rules will also facilitate the success of companies that do business with the federal government, by increasing their access to a large, diverse pool of qualified workers. 

The need for these rules is clear – unemployment for certain veterans and persons with disabilities is disproportionately high. 

  • Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, who have given so much to serve their country, should be able to find employment – yet the annual unemployment rate for post-September 2001 veterans is higher than the rates for all veterans and for nonveterans.
  • The unemployment rate for working-age people with disabilities in 2012 was 15%, compared with a rate of 8% for working age individuals without disabilities.  This substantial disparity persists despite years of technological advances that have made it possible for many people with disabilities to apply for and successfully perform a broad array of jobs. 

Being a federal contractor is a privilege — one that comes with the reasonable expectation to abide by the law and provide equal employment opportunity to all workers.  Today’s new rules make those expectations clearer and more meaningful. 

The rules will be published shortly in the Federal Register and will take effect 180 days later.   You can read the Final Rules on the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/VEVRAARule/ and http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/503Rule/. 

There you can also find other information about the new rules.

OFCCP will continue to work with all stakeholders to promote opportunity and access for millions of workers across thousands of workplaces as the new rules are implemented.  Introductory webinars will be held this week (with repeats in September) to provide overviews of the key points of the rules.  You can register for these webinars below.

We look forward to spreading this good news, and encourage you to share it through your communication channels as well.

*******************

OFCCP Webinars on the VEVRAA Final Rule – PLEASE CHOOSE ONE

OFCCP Webinars on the Section 503 Final Rule – PLEASE CHOOSE ONE

September 18, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern) – http://www.dol.gov/find/section503-2

Posted in ADA, government contracting, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

9 Things You Absolutely Must Do if You Have an OSHA Inspection

Posted on August 28, 2013 by mavity2012

9 Things You Absolutely Must Do if You Have an OSHA Inspection

by on Aug 27, 2013, 9:09 AM  |  0 Comments
 
 
 
osha_1

By Howard Mavity

Readers already know to take photos whenever an OSHA Compliance Officer takes shots, and a few other standard labor lawyer recommendations, but I’d like to take a moment to talk about “why” we urge employers to take certain steps before and during an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection.

1. Plan in advance

Every company site should have a number of managers who know the basic steps to take whenever any government investigator shows up. The most important step is for site managers to know who to call to obtain guidance. No executive or in-house counsel will be pleased to learn of an investigation upon receipt of a citation.

The company needs a system in place so that with one call, the site manager activates corporate support, including legal and risk management guidance, assistance to employees and families, and press and media management.

2. Make sure management takes an inspection seriously

Many employers are unprepared for the aggressive approach now dictated by Washington. OSHA is a great organization, but even seeming minor citations can harm the business. In some industries, even a single serious citation can harm bidding opportunities.

Most of the six figure citations have involved repeat violations of routine items such as a missing electric cabinet switch labels, a damaged extension cord, partially blocked electric cabinet, or one employee who missed his annual training. Each violation can serve as the basis for a repeat violation of up to $70,000 per item at ANY company location in any Fed-OSHA state for five years.

No inspection is minor. And by the way, OSHA’s new IT system will allow them to better track your corporation’s performance, even when the company operates under many names.  (CONTINUED AT TLNT)

Posted in auto industry, OSHA, safety technology and apps | Leave a comment

“Private Eyes Are Watching You” … With Google Glass?

Posted on August 28, 2013 by mavity2012

 As I started typing about “Google Glass,” that 80”s song by Hall and Oates began to torment me over and over again …

 Private Eyes
they’re watching you
they see your every move
Private Eyes
they’re watching you
Private Eyes
they’re watching you watching you watching you watching you

So let’s talk about Google Glass.  Google Glass is essentially a phone mounted on glasses in front of one’s eyes, with a front facing camera, and heads-up display with facial recognition and eye tracking technology which can show icons or stats hovering above people you recognize.  Creepy, but kind of cool.  You can also read directions as you walk and take video from one’s point of view.  Seems like a fascinating next step in technology.  We are NOT badmouthing it, but one does need to consider any new product’s proper use.  Google Glass also presents fascinating potential business applications.

One can already take video of embarrassing moments with phones, but these glasses increase such opportunities.  Not surprisingly, many casinos prohibit the glasses, as do some theaters, and other businesses.  One can imagine someone using such glasses in a restroom or to photograph confidential documents, or perhaps to be the “ultimate snitch” to trap someone in an illegal act.  Google Glass could take “distracted driving” to a new level as a driver works through the many functions.

And then we have the NLRB; are they going to continue to broadly strike down company restrictions on employees taking and posting photos?  Surely, even the NLRB will acknowledge the serious potential invasion of privacy issues presented by employees improperly using Google Glass?

Businesses may want to consider prohibiting the use of Google Glass by customers and the public in their workplace.  A business is not so worried about the NLRB when they prohibit non-employees from wearing Google Glass in their theaters, stores, casinos, etc.

Like texting, employers should prohibit Google Glass or similar interactive systems while employees operate vehicles and equipment.

 Because of their distracting effect, employers should be able to prohibit their use while employees are working, as well as common law privacy rights  in bathrooms and locker rooms.

 The NLRB dislikes general or broad prohibitions, but thought should be given to prohibiting conduct that constitutes invasion of privacy or harassment, such as filming down a co-worker’s blouse. 

 Arguably the best choice is to simply ban the use or possession of such glasses while working.  One avoids vague rules based on “content” or what the employee does with the glasses. Our best guess is that the Board will be less concerned with outright prohibitions on use of the glasses, certainly at least within sensitive areas or when performing safety-sensitive tasks. So long as the business case can be made, the prohibition seems reasonable and not designed to some how chill employees Section 7 free speech rights. If you read the underlying facts carefully, the recent NLRB Opinion on workplace photography was more problematic because the employer purported to dictate what the employee could do with the photography once taken. Barring photographic devices (or even the taking of photos) in a vacuum might  have been far less problematic. Banning these devises at the outset (instead of attempting to impose restrictions on their workplace use) may be the simplest and safest alternative.  Employees seem to draw greater Board scrutiny when they try to get “cute” with their policy language, require advance permission, offer vague proscriptions without examples or definitions, etc. That’s a long way of saying that the best approach may be to deal with this much like you would weapons in the workplace, adding an explanatory statement at the outset referencing considerations of workplace confidentiality, safety, privacy (using a different term), harassment, etc.  Talk to your counsel.

 Some businesses are banning Google Glass.

 An August 7, 2013 article listed “10 Places That Have Banned Google Glass:”

1.      Banks and ATM’s (protect account information);

2.      Sports Arenas and Concerts;

3.      Locker and Dressing Rooms;

4.      Bathrooms;

5.      Automobiles;

6.      Hospitals (what about other settings handling private medical information?);

7.      Classrooms;

8.      Casinos;

9.      Bars (although one assumes this rule might cause controversy because 1/2 of the photos on Facebook appear to involve drinking);

10.    Movies.

 And what about childcare centers and other settings with vulnerable children?

 What about any setting involving credit card information?  Confidential and trade secret materials?  Customer documents?  Government material?

 After evaluating your workplace, you will then need to integrate any rules about Google Glass with the more sensitive area of rules about cameras and handheld devices, AND posting photos.

Posted in attitude/culture, employer policies, harassment, NLRB, privacy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

OHS Online: More About “Why Do Employees Choose To Get Hurt?”

Posted on August 1, 2013 by mavity2012

OHS Blog: Why Do Employees Choose to Get Hurt?

August 1, 2013 05:13
by Howard Mavity

Despite having handled nearly 500 workplace fatalities, I once found myself hanging three stories from a gutter because I had wedged a piece of firewood under my ladder rather than taking five minutes to properly set it. Why does a skilled person with awareness of the dangers of cutting corners nonetheless take unnecessary risks?

“Nonchalance” is a greater hazard than a lack of training or experience. Seventy percent of the workplace fatalities I have handled were due to errors by well-trained employees. Some were driven by the desire to take care of the job as swiftly as possible. Others figured that they had successfully “done it before.” Others apparently just didn’t think.

Unsafe attitudes develop “incrementally.” J. A. Rodriquez has explained how employees engage in “incremental rationalization” whereby they bit-by-bit justify ultimately disastrous final decisions. Rodriguez analogizes to our well-known incremental justification for violating our diet plans, in which the rationalization proceeds from “I know I shouldn’t have it” to “maybe just this once” to “I deserve this,” and so forth.

Continue Reading at OHS website.

Posted in employee engagement, hazard assessment, management and leadership, OSHA, reducing injuries, safety programs | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Wellness Potpourri!

Posted on July 29, 2013 by mavity2012

I am reasonably certain that I have not before and will not again use the word “potpourri” in a post or probably in any other context.  It’s not a macho thing.  I just don’t like the word. But it sounds better than a “cornucopia of wellness advice.”

I would argue that the biggest challenge in achieving effective wellness programs is to come up with a way to get a tired overworked employee to get up early or stay up late to exercise, or to actually eat more healthily.  To some extent, we know “what to do,” just not “how” to do it.  Or is that completely accurate?  Do our employees really know many of the small and large steps which they can take to improve their quality of life?

I have pasted excerpts and links on a number of subjects which should be considered  in our wellness efforts, as well as in developing supervisors and preventing injuries.  It’s my hope that articles about testosterone, sperm count, and nasty restaurants may assist you in spicing up those wellness bulletins and maybe, just maybe, get someone’s attention!  Hey … fear can be a valid motivator.  The topics reflect my holistic view of health as a tired middle-aged lawyer, a former full contact fighter, and someone who is fascinated by the relationship of our mind and body.

 

  1. I’ve pasted discussions on stress and especially the role of technology in increasing life’s stress.  Some days, I feel that “stress” may be a greater threat than drugs or alcohol, in part because stress often leads to abuse of drugs and alcohol.
  2. When I was a younger athlete and attorney, I blithely assumed that pushing myself would only catch up with me when I was “really really old,” and maybe I’d dodge the bullet.  If I could go back in time and change one life style choice, it would be that mindset because, as the pasted blog discusses, we may be living longer, but our health is worse during those days, and hey, bad habits catch up with us sooner than we expect!
  3. An underlying theme of all of these topics is the need for “personal responsibility,” and I hope that some of the discussions, such as the “decline in male fertility” may grab the attention of a few males who deem themselves invulnerable.
  4. A basic thing we can do to improve health is to eat breakfast, and to eat the correct food.  Come on … this is the easiest wellness recommendation out there!  No excuses.
  5. Pandemic concerns periodically heighten our awareness of washing our hands and avoiding germs, but washing ones hands is only a small part of what we should be doing, especially in restaurants.
  6. We know we should eat well, but maybe the realization that diet affects the onslaught of Alzheimer’s may motivate employees to at least eat a bit better.
  7. Finally, lack of sleep is a huge factor in bad judgment, unethical decision-making, and workplace injuries.  No more martyrdom for work or family.  Get some sleep.

 

So enjoy!  Well, sort of ….

 Technology doesn’t always improve our lives.

Add this excellent WSJ Blog to the reasons to turn off your smart phone and focus on the meeting, conversation or task at hand.  One More Reason To Put Down That Smartphone – At Work.  Why would we think that texting only harms our driving?  Equally importantly, studies are debunking the myth of multi-tasking.”  The more one’s attention is divided among tasks, the less effective one is at any of them.  Plain common sense. (See my “Distracted Workers” post).

By Anita Hofschneider

Feeling shy in a group meeting? Your smartphone may be to blame.

An unpublished paper out of Harvard Business School suggests that using small gadgets makes people less assertive. Those who use larger gadgets come across as more assertive.

When people use smaller devices, their posture contracts, increasing stress and decreasing testosterone levels, say researchers Maarten Bos and Amy Cuddy of Harvard Business School. The inverse is true when people use large desktop computers, which force users to assume a more open posture. And the effect continues even after the device is put away or the user logs off.

Continue reading at the WSJ.

Read TLNT’s “Our Email Addiction: Can We Keep It From Following Us Home From Work?”

Or read this Info graphic from EHS Today which shows the effects of workplace stress, including the staggering assertion that stress-related conditions result in 75 to 90% of physician visits!

Perhaps most helpfully, read Laura Stack’s spot-on piece from TLNT, “10 Reasons Why You Need To Quit Trying To Be Perfect.”

 We’re living longer but our poor life styles are making us sicker as we age.

 Talk about “good news – bad news!”  Consider the implications of this sobering study discussed by the AARP, “Americans Living Longer But With More Chronic Disabilities.”

http://www.alfa.org/News/3311/Americans-Living-Longer,-But-With-More-Chronic-Conditions,-Disabilities#.Ue8FRW9WAVI.twitter

A new study finds that average life expectancy for Americans rose from 75.2 years in 1990 to 78.2 years in 2010. However, the study also found people were in good health, or without short- or long-term disabilities, for only 68.1 years on average.

 ….

 Most of the gain in U.S. life expectancy was attributed to a better management of certain diseases, especially colon and breast cancer, as well efforts to stop preventable diseases like HIV.

 Despite the reduction in death rates from some major diseases, mortality rates from Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias rose significantly.  Illnesses associated with obesity, such as diabetes and kidney disease, also increased despite an uptick in exercise rates nationwide. Researchers also noted that the rate of premature death due to falls increased since 1990.

Though overall life expectancy for Americans has slowly risen, researchers pointed out that the increase has been slower than for many other developed countries. Despite spending the most per capita on health care across all countries, the U.S ranks just 27th among the 34 developed countries included in the study. (my emphasis added)

Continue reading at the AARP site.

We cannot continue to dodge the importance of “personal responsibility” in health and lifestyle decisions.  While the thrust of many of the anti-discrimination and benefits-related laws is to treat people who make bad lifestyle decisions as “victims,” we must continue to hammer away at every opportunity on exercising personal responsibility.  But how do we gain workers’ attention before they have the “Damascus Road” experience of a heart attack or cancer?!

Or maybe Shirley Wang’s article about the effects of poor lifestyle choices will gain the attention of the young men in your workforce; many of whom presumably want to be viewed as robust and virile.

July 15, 2013, 7:25 p.m. ET

The Decline in Male Fertility

Scientists Puzzle Over Declining Sperm Counts; a ‘Crisis’ or Not Enough Data

By  SHIRLEY S. WANG

….  Accumulating evidence suggests that early life influences make a difference. Some researchers say that there is a vulnerable period, perhaps between eight and 14 weeks of gestation, in which influences are irreversible. One of the most robust links with decreased sperm count is maternal smoking during pregnancy.

In a study known as Raine of nearly 2,000 males enrolled as babies and now in their early 20s, the size of the testicles was related to total sperm count, and sperm count was more likely to be lower in boys who were born small for gestational age, who were overweight or underweight in childhood or whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.

The male’s own current marijuana use was also linked to lower sperm count, according to data presented at the conference by Roger Hart, a professor of reproductive medicine at the University of Western Australia.

Some factors that impact sperm may be reversible. Others have found that how much belly fat men have, even those not overweight, is linked with testosterone levels in young men.

“By adopting a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle in pregnancy, you can give your developing baby the very best start in life which will minimize the risk of future diseases,” Edinburgh’s Dr. Sharpe says. “If it’s a boy, then this will also make sure that his sperm count, and thus his fertility, is not compromised in any way.”

Continue Reading at the WSJ.

Breakfast is good, don’t skip it!  I Mean it!

Here are two short posts which provide yet more reason to eat breakfast.  “Skipping Breakfast Makes High Calorie Foods More Appealing.”  As if we middle aged males needed yet more reason to avoid “high calorie foods … sigh.

Skipping breakfast turns you into a calorie-and-fat-seeking blimp

10/17/2012

Skipping breakfast might seem like a sly way to slash calories off your daily intake, but it really transforms you into a fat-seeking machine. That’s according to Imperial College scientists who investigated the brains of 21 people: first after they’d eaten a healthy morning meal, and again when they’d gone without. The scientists flashed photos of foods in front of study subjects during an MRI scan. The scans revealed that fatty, calorific foods appeared more appealing than healthy choices to the hungry brain. Not only that, but when served lunch after forgoing breakfast, participants sucked down around 250 more calories than they did when they’d had their Wheaties

 Continue Reading at MSN.

 Or how about the motivation of “Eat your breakfast if you want to avoid having a heart attack”

Harvard researchers studying a group of older men have concluded that those who regularly skipped breakfast had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack than those who ate in the mornings. It’s believed skipping breakfast makes you hungrier later in the day, so you’re more likely to eat larger meals. Your body then has to work harder to process all those calories in a shorter amount of time, spiking sugar levels in the blood and perhaps causing clogged arteries.

Continue Reading at MSN.

 Educators have long emphasized breakfast, even at the school’s expense, because of the dramatic effect on concentration and learning.  Why would “grown-up’s” be exempt from natural laws?

 Don’t wait until the influenza season to start washing your hands and carrying that Purell!

 This AARP blog will make you queasy every time you go into a restaurant, but the advice is darned practical and another example of the practical health advice for people of all ages, to be found at the AARP site.  Germiest Places – Eight Ways To Protect Yourself In Restaurants.

 1. Restaurant Menus

Have you ever seen anyone wash a menu? Probably not. A study in the Journal of Medical Virology reported that cold and flu viruses can survive for 18 hours on hard surfaces. If it’s a popular restaurant, hundreds of people could be handling the menus — and passing their germs on to you. Never let a menu touch your plate or silverware, and be sure to wash your hands after you place your order.

Next: Why you should sour on lemons. »

Continue Reading at the AARP site and at Prevention.com, another really great site for practical advice.

 Eat your way to good mental health.

 Nothing scares me as much as the thought of losing my mind.  I watched one of my mentors, a man’s man in all the correct  ways, descend into Alzheimer’s, and few things have scared me more.  You may have noted in one of the earlier articles, one of the main reasons for the increase in our chronic health problems is Alzheimer’s – and we may be able to markedly lowering the risks by doing some of the same things we should do to reduce cholesterol, attack our weight, and improve cardiac health.

 Read Stephanie Eckelkamp’s  “You Can Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease – 7 Habits To Adopt Today.”

 “You may be able to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by a whopping 70 to 80%,” says Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the non-profit organizations that sponsored the first annual International Conference on Nutrition and the Brain this past weekend in Washington DC. Sixteen researchers presented compelling evidence about why the following seven habits could help warn off many neurological disorders, not just Alzheimer’s, that steal our mind. 

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/print/36985#ixzz2a6goZvAH

Remember the proverb of how to eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  Addressing any of these dietary suggestions could have a marked effect on one’s health.

 Get some @#$& sleep!

 We all know that a lack of sleep harms us, but we continually make up excuses to justify our “sacrifice.”  Read my TLNT blog to learn about ways your workers may not know lack of sleep harms them.  Bad Judgment By An Employee – They May Just Not Be Getting Enough Sleep.

 Until next time!

 Sleep well!

 Howard

Posted in aging workforce, attitude/culture, wellness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

New Labor Secretary, NLRB Point to More Activist Workplace Regulation

Posted on July 19, 2013 by mavity2012

From TLNT, one of my first reads each day, along with EHS Today and the WSL.  I’m always flattered to be picked up by folks of this caliber.

New Labor Secretary, NLRB Point to More Activist Workplace Regulation

by on Jul 19, 2013, 11:20 AM  |  0 Comments
 
 
 
Thomas Perez

By Howard Mavity

Yesterday (July 18), the U.S. Senate confirmed the new Secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez, and new EPA Director Gina McCarthy.

Along with two newly nominated Democrats who will be members of the National Labor Relations Board, the signs suggest that we may see an even more activist administration in labor, employment and safety matters.

New Secretary of Labor Perez is a former tough litigator and deal-maker from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Based on his record, we seriously doubt that he will be as ineffectual as the previous Labor Secretary. Expect yet more support for OSHA‘s emphasis on whistle blowing claims, and for such claims in all Department of of Labor agencies.

New NLRB members will accelerate new policies

I also suspect that we may see more aggressive creation of policy through “interpretations” and an even heavier Federal involvement in State-OSHA plans. While much of the criticism leveled at EPA nominee McCarthy seemed directed more toward the EPA generally, some lawmakers thought Thomas Perez was too activist.

(Continue reading at TLNT).

Posted in government inspections, MSHA, NLRB, OSHA, state osha plans, Washington | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Yes, I Am Tweeting….

Posted on July 18, 2013 by mavity2012

Ok … this is my second try; this time with my twitter handle, @howardmavity.

I have taken another tentative step into technology and writing.  I am now tweeting at: @howardmavity  My goal is to not only link some of my blogs but also tweet about articles that have impressed me or news of interest.  Unlike our two blogs, I will Tweet about a somewhat larger range of topics, including behavioral science, business, books, history, baseball, art and literature, running, education, and of course beer and wine.  One day, I hope to combine my newfound love of blogs and now Tweeting, into writing one or more books.  We’ll see.  My focus continues to be the intersection of law, safety, business and (un)common sense. 

Suggestions of topics, articles and people to follow are very much welcomed!

Howard

 View Me on Twitter

Posted in social media, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Tired Workers Cheat And Use Bad Judgment

Posted on July 17, 2013 by mavity2012

 I have always assumed that exhaustion affects our judgment, makes us sloppy and unsafe, and more prone to anger.  Behavioral research supports my assumptions.  Perhaps our first wellness step should be a campaign to get employees to sleep . . . and to follow our own advice!

 Dr. Christopher M. Barnes posted a provocatively titled May 31st blog, “Sleep-Deprived People Are More Likely To Cheat” on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network.  Barnes pointed out that:

 the workplace has many temptations that employees must resist, from the petty impulse to claim credit for someone else’s work to the unscrupulous lapse of lying in a negotiation context, to the criminal act of misrepresenting financial numbers.  Recent research indicates that self-control is a key determinant of whether or not people fall to or resist such temptations.  When their ability to exert self-control is high, they can resist.

 University of Kentucky professor and Lab Director, Dr. C. Nathan DeWall, has lectured and written on self-control and “self-regulation depletion.”  To grossly oversimply some of his conclusions, he has documented how metabolic depletion (lack of energy) and sleep deprivation limits ones self-control.

Dr. Barnes also cites various researchers who have established that:

 the act of using self-control draws upon this fuel, which exhausts the fuel.  Thus, one’s ability to exert self-control can become depleted.

 Dr. Barnes has himself carried out fine research narrowing the focus to “ethical behavior.”  The bottom line is that even a limited number of occasions of not getting enough sleep can influence ethical decision-making.

 As I write this blog, my preternaturally perceptive son commented, “duh . . . of course a lack of sleep causes ethical lapses.”  So, it goes without saying that sleep deprivation also affects the judgment and reflexes often required to work safely.

 So why don’t employees get enough rest?  In my case, it is often pure macho arrogance.  I ran in college and was a distance runner and mixed martial arts fighter until I was fifty.  I dismissed concerns that a lack of sleep would catch up with me.  I was wrong.  I don’t know about women, but I suspect that this “manly contempt” causes many men to ignore that common sense voice imploring them to get some sleep.  Other reasons include working multiple jobs or ignorance about the effect of even modest under-sleeping.  Many of us have also convinced ourselves that we are virtuous for “sacrificing” ourselves in order to complete needed tasks or to serve others or our organization.

 As employers, we cannot necessarily address employees having to work more than one job, or the harsh demands of our ever-changing society.  However, we can educate employees and encourage rest, and perhaps consider such needs in our staffing and strategic decisions.  As a wise old coach once told me, “rest is training.”

 Action Points

 1.         Set a good example.

2.         Emphasize sleep in wellness programs.

3.         Consider fatigue and lack of sleep in incident investigations.

4.         Dr. Barnes recently tweeted about research showing that lack of sleep can contribute to prejudice, so this issue may affect a wide range of investigations of employee behavior.

5.         Consider how you, the employer, can assist employees in getting better sleep.

6.         Incorporate the subject into supervisor development and employee training.

7.          Keep up with behavioral scientists such as DeWall and Barnes.  Their work is thorough and fascinating, and has many implications for safety and management.

Howard

 

 

 

Howard

Posted in aging workforce, attitude/culture, cultural changes, employee engagement, employer policies, management and leadership, wellness | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment