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We all currently live in the golden age of technology. Cell phones essentially double as a computer with the added bonus of being able to fit in the palm of our hands. At work, people are able to communicate with other workers and with their bosses almost immediately—exchanging correspondence without ever having to leave their desk. You would think that these massively helpful leaps in technology would assist modern workers in achieving their employment goals at an accelerated rate. But a new article from Boston.com begs to differ. Workers in this day and age are actually working at a much slower pace than those who held the same positions up to 17 years ago.

A study conducted by Wells Fargo has indicated that the influx of communication and information based technology isn’t proving to be as beneficial as one may think. It may actually be actively contributing to the decrease in productivity across multiple job fields. With the exception of the information industry (jobs which include journalism, technical support, and data processing) each of the industries listed on a graph provided by Wells Fargo show decreases in productivity. Some businesses, such as Waste Industries, show only a slight decrease. While others, such as Construction, show a wider berth. The report, which was released on July 6th, compared productivity growth charts from 1998-2003 to ones provided for 2004-2014. And while the reports indicated that, yes, there was still a margin of growth during the past decade or so—it evolved at a much slower rate than in previous years. Continue reading

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An ironworker has been critically injured after falling forty feet at a construction site near Logan International Airport in Boston this Friday morning. The circumstances surrounding the accident are still under an ongoing investigation. The preliminary reports have said that the man fell approximately forty feet onto a precast concrete slab that had also become dislodged and fell the same distance. It was not immediately apparent what had caused the concrete slab to give way and tumble the remaining feet to the ground. All work on the construction site has since been halted until authorities can determine the cause of the accident and if there are any remaining unsafe conditions that could pose further threats to other workers. No word has been given on the safety status of the construction site prior to the accident, with all available information supporting the idea that this was just a horrible accident. Continue reading

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Do you work in an office? Do you feel like sometimes your back or neck hurt from sitting in one place and in one position all day? If you feel like you’re suffering from any work related discomforts, kinesiology researcher Julie Côté thinks she may be able to help.

Côté, who also teaches at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has been conducting research in order to find ways to lessen these types of muscle distresses for office workers. Her belief is that if you modify certain aspects of your day-to-day routine at your place of business, you may be able to reduce or prevent your likeliness to suffer from serious muscular and skeletal pains that plague one out of ten people who work in an office. Côté firmly believes that your body is your work instrument—and how you choose to treat your body may reflect in your ability to work comfortably on a daily basis. Continue reading

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On Tuesday morning an employee of the contracting company P.A. Landers was killed in Plymouth after his truck became buried under a mound of sand. Charles Pace, aged 65, was operating a bulldozer at the time of the accident. It was reported that Mr. Pace was moving sand onto a conveyer belt within a sand pit when an avalanche-like collapse trapped him inside of his vehicle. Firefighters on the scene went on to say that after the sand accumulated on top of the bulldozer; the truck then rolled over, trapping Charles Pace inside. Continue reading

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On-the-Job injuries can occur during the most mundane tasks, such as typing, making phone calls, and sitting at a desk all day. While certain occupations, such as construction, have a higher risk of serious injury and death, desk jobs can cause debilitating injuries that make doing your job painful, and even impossible. Back pain is one of the most common work-related injuries, but it can be easily prevented by taking proper precautions and maintaining overall health. Whether working a construction job, an office job, or outside job this summer, in Massachusetts many workers in will injure their back and often times you won’t know how significant the injury can be.

Dull, achy back pain can make concentrating on your job a challenge. Sharp, stabbing back pain can be equally distracting. However, these uncomfortable feelings are often a precursor to something more serious. Left untreated, back pain can become progressively worse. Certain jobs, such as waiting tables, nursing, and factory work, have a high risk of back injury because they typically require hours of standing, lifting, bending, and other repetitive movements. Desk jobs can also result in severe back pain if a computer and keyboard are improperly positioned, or inappropriate posture is used. Continue reading

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 15 million Americans work the night shift. That is a substantial portion of this country’s workforce. Unfortunately, working a night shift job comes with an increased risk of fatigue, loss of focus and attention, and decreased cognitive function. These negative effects can be especially dangerous for emergency workers such as doctors, EMTs, and police officers, as well as the people they are responsible for helping. Additionally, fatigued night-driving truckers, workers driving home from their night shift jobs, and those they share the road with, are equally at risk. Psychologists are studying the effects of night shift work to determine ways of reducing the risk of accident and injury for workers and the public alike.

Circadian Rhythm

Staying up all night works against the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Our circadian clock acts as a timer, controlling mood, body temperature and alertness, and regulating the release of certain hormones. For example, our brains have evolved to relax after dark and to become alert at daybreak. Night shift workers essentially have to fight their bodies’ natural metabolic processes and rest period. Even with plenty of sleep during the day, it is impossible to completely make up for this level of circadian misalignment.

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With summer now in full force, it’s important for those who regularly work outdoors to understand the risks of potential heat stress and heat stroke. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety Health Administration has developed a new mobile application that allows workers and employers at job sites calculate the heat index for their job site and determine the risk level to their workers.

“With a simple “click,” [workers] get reminders about the protective measures that should be taken at that risk level to protect workers from heat-related illness-reminders about drinking enough fluids, scheduling rest breaks, planning for and knowing what to do in an emergency, adjusting work operations, gradually building up the workload for new workers, training on heat illness signs and symptoms, and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.” (OSHA.gov)

According to OSHA’s website, working in full sunlight increases heat index values by 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The summer months bring an influx of summer jobs, and teen workers to fill them. In fact, 2.7 million teens entered the workforce during the 2014 summer. While jobs provide an important opportunity for kids to learn skills, workplace behavior, and responsibility, they can also be quite dangerous.

 

Young people are especially vulnerable to on-the-job injuries for several reasons. First of all, lack of life experience in general makes teen workers less able to respond to certain situations, including emergencies. Additionally, teens often lack experience specific to their job because summer jobs provide little time for thorough training. However, the most significant factor in teens’ workplace injuries is their tendency to engage in risky behaviors, and to not report another’s inappropriate or dangerous actions. Continue reading

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There is rising concern in the workers’ compensation industry over the security of the personal and health information of employees. Worker’s compensation organizations manage an extensive database of such information on employees around the country. According to managed care services provider Genex Services, L.L.C., the amount of medical data and personal health information stored by the workers’ comp industry positions it as an easy target for data thieves. The concern and threat are real, but many in the industry are beginning to use new technology and security practices to significantly reduce the risk. Continue reading

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