American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Bechtel Partner to Prevent Construction Worker Suicides

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Bechtel recently entered a multiyear partnership dedicated to saving lives in the construction community lost to suicide. The new partnership will reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources developed by AFSP and Bechtel. The general contractor’s $7-million commitment to AFSP will fund the effort and is the largest-ever pledge received by AFSP. The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S. In fact, the number of suicides in the industry is nearly five times higher than the number of lives … Read more

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Ergodyne Targets One-Fifth of All Job-Related Injuries with New Back Support

Nearly 40 years after introducing the ergonomics category to the workplace, Ergodyne has announced the launch of the ProFlex 1675 Cooling + Warming Back Support Brace. Back injuries are a leading cause of workplace disability, accounting for over 1 million injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And Ergodyne’s latest back support is engineered to address these concerns by emphasizing the importance of pre-work and post-work routines in addition to encouraging proper lifting techniques during the shift. Integrated warming and cooling therapy aids in preparing the body for physical exertion and assisting in recovery post-shift. Warming therapy increases blood … Read more

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OSHA Switches from Traditional Hard Hats to Safety Helmets

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets to protect them better when on inspection sites. In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported head injuries accounted for nearly 6% of non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. Almost half of those injuries occurred when workers came in contact with an object or equipment while about 20% were caused by slips, trips and falls. Dating back to the 1960s, traditional hard hats protect the top of a worker’s head but have minimal side … Read more

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Mental Wellness in Construction

By Elizabeth Crowley Construction workers have always played a visible role in our nation’s prosperity and economic health. After all, they literally build our cities, go to heights where few other people venture and help modernize our world. Construction workers are known for their strength, determination and grit, but there is also a darker and, sadly, unconfronted reality to their work environment that needs more attention. Namely, the high rates of substance abuse, suicide and depression among our workforce. In fact, construction workers are five times more likely to die from suicide than from work-related injuries, and four times more … Read more

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Brass Knuckle Releases Protective Eyewear for Workers Needing Corrective Lenses

A worker who wears corrective lenses is not exempt from wearing proper eye protection. Typical corrective eyeglasses don’t provide the necessary impact and side protection of work-grade spectacles and goggles. These workers could wear over-the-glasses protective eyewear. But, for a less-bulky, maximum-comfort solution, there is Brass Knuckle Read. The revised ANSI/SEA Z87.1-2015 standard recognizes the need for protective readers that offer magnification for the wearer. Brass Knuckle meets this need with Read BKREAD-6010. Read is great-fitting, cost-effective, super-light bifocal eye protection available in five diopter strengths: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0. A durable polycarbonate frame provides extra side protection … Read more

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