The Occupational Health Blog

• NMS
• Nov 28, 2012
• Tags: vendor credentialing, flu

Influenza, or more commonly known as the flu, has had its daunting grips on America and the World since 1918. In 1918, the influenza epidemic first occurred and took approximately 50-100 million lives. Naturally, as time has progressed, medical advances have lead us to trustworthy and effective vaccines that have trumped over these Influenza threats, leaving us healthy and strong to live our lives as we please.

• NMS
• Oct 15, 2012

It is that time of the year again. Flu season is coming around the corner and is getting ready to knock on your door. Isn’t it suck a shame that this pesky guest does not understand how completely unwelcomed it is? Unfortunately, the Flu makes sure that its presence is known, however, it is time for us to make sure it realizes how unwanted it actually is! Follow this checklist and you are on your way to a Flu free year.

• NMS
• Sep 17, 2012
• Tags: absenteeism, presenteeism, employer cost, sick

To all employers, listen up! Whether you know it or not, there are factors that contribute to the success of your company that are riding on the very health of your employees. In fact, according to the CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey from 2007, when employees call in sick (absenteeism) it costs large employers $764,000 annually! That is a big number. However, what seems to be causing a bit of a storm in the workplace is the idea of presenteeism, which can be described as being present at work but not being productive due to health reasons as acute as the common cold or as chronic as heart disease. So let’s take a better look how absenteeism and presenteeism really affect the workplace, and what employers can do to make this decrease and make their employees happy and excited to come to work.

• NMS
• Sep 14, 2012
• Tags: MRO, medical review officer, drug testing, chain of custody, custody and control form

In the field of occupational health, Medical Review Officers, also known as an MRO, are extremely important throughout the employee drug screening process. The MRO is a licensed physician who works directly with the laboratory and employer step-by-step ensuring that the data and results gathered by the drug screen are thoroughly examined and addressed. MROs can easily be understood and described as the glue that holds all of these important pieces of information together.

• NMS
• Aug 28, 2012

There are many people in the United States and throughout the world who have jobs that put constant strain on their hearing. These noisy working environments can damage small cells in our ears called hair cells which are sensors that retain sound and send that message or signal to our brain. When these hair cells are damaged, they do not grow back like the hair on our head. Therefore, they need to be protected!