Horrible Bosses: Workplace violence in the real world
Horrible bosses. If you’ve had one, hopefully they were not as bad as those portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Colin Farrell in the newly released movie of the same name. While the plot and characters are exaggerated and the comic elements may not be to everyone’s taste, the movie highlights the very real issues of work stress and violence. Each week in the United States, an average of 33,000 workers are assaulted on the job and 14 are murdered.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/
Mental losses common in ex-NFL players
One-third of former National Football League players studied using a spousal survey appeared to have substantial mental deficits similar to those seen in much older people, a researcher said here. Survey results for 513 retired NFL players, averaging 61 years old, showed that 35% had scores of at least two on the AD8 informant interview, indicating significant cognitive problems, according to Christopher Randolph, PhD, of Loyola University in Chicago.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ICAD/27581
Weighty matters
Okay, this one is a blinding glimpse of the obvious, we have bias against people who are overweight. That’s the boring part. But it gets interesting when it comes to how the bias is different for men and women. A study by a University of Florida professor found that thinner women had a higher salary. And so did heavier men..
http://www.todaysworkplace.org/2011/07/18/weighty-matters/
DOT sidesteps worker safety law
A rebuilt interchange linking Route 34, Interstate 91 and Interstate 95 is scheduled to be finished in 2016, unless a Superior Court judge says otherwise. Connecticut’s Department of Transportation took an unusual risk in awarding the contract for the work to O&G Enterprises of Torrington. O&G originally was barred from even bidding on the project because of 139 federal safety violations pending against it as a result of a Feb. 7, 2010, explosion that killed six workers at a power plant being built in Middletown for Kleen Energy.
http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2011/07/16/opinion/doc4e20f1ca7a952137527459.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Sayreville company cited for 2 safety violations after worker’s finger is amputated
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Sayreville, N.J., company for two repeat safety violations after a worker’s finger was amputated at the plant in May.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/sayreville_company_cite_for_2.html
Newark plant fined $22,000 by Cal-OSHA
The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health has fined Evergreen Oil nearly $22,000 and issued four citations for a fire four months ago that indefinitely closed part of the plant and injured one employee. Inspections conducted since March 29 — when malfunctioning waste oil equipment started the fire that caused a hydrochloric acid tank to rupture — found nine items in violation of Cal-OSHA’s regulations.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_18493989
DOL application development contests open till September 14
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced two contests with a total of $70,000 in prize money for software applications that showcase innovative uses of the department’s data. The goal of the first contest is to connect unemployed workers with promising careers, and the goal of the second is to empower consumer choices about the hotel, motel, restaurant and retail industries.
http://www.examiner.com/workplace-issues-in-houston/dol-application-development-contests-open-till-september-14
