Worksite health promotion, 2008 June

"Once the temperature goes up, it can get really dangerous." Louise Ann Fernandez, an employment lawyer in Los Angeles
There were more than 3,100 heat-related work injuries or illnesses in 2006.

Worksite Health Promotion

Vol 1, Issue 4 June 2008

Prepare Your Company for Summer

For many, summer invokes thoughts of sun, sand and surf. It is a time to relax and travel. But what about those who have to work during the summer? In the business world, life and work must continue.
Companies should not see summer as a slow time when sales are poor and productivity is low. Instead, this is a time to maintain productivity and time to reengage employees in health and wellness efforts. It is also an ideal time to make changes to the work environment so that it supports healthy behavior.
Help Employees Stay Hydrated The high temperatures of the summer months cause many people to reach for a beverage more than they do at other times of the year. This is particularly true of those who spend a lot of time outdoors. Staying well hydrated is very important because dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke.
Employers can help their employees stay hydrated by: Having a water cooler at the workplace.
You can even get employees to chip in by starting a "water club". Offering water at meetings and

Help employees stay cool during the summer by providing water at work and company events.
company events. Reducing the cost of water and juices in
vending machines and cafeterias so they are cheaper than sugary drinks. Offer water bottles as incentive prizes for wellness program activities.
Help Employees Enjoy the Outdoors With warmer weather comes the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. You can organize groups of employees to walk during lunch or the cooler hours of mid-morning. Another idea is to partner with your local park to hold a summer outing for employees that incorporates

physical activity. You can also install bike racks and encourage employees to bike to work.
If planning outdoor activities, here are a few tips: Encourage employees to use
sunscreen when outdoors for extended periods of time. You can even provide small, single-use packets of sunscreen at outdoor events/activities. Be mindful of employees who have allergies to pollen and other outdoor allergens. Be prepared for emergency events by training employees in first aid and/or CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Help Employees Breathe Easier Good air quality is not just about the outdoors. Ensuring good indoor air quality is just as important and can be accomplished by addressing tobacco smoke.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases a non-smoker's risk of developing heart disease and lung cancer. Tobacco smoke also poses a major trigger for those with
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WELLNESS WATCH
Cancer continues to be a costly disease, both in terms of health care costs and lost productivity. According to Unum, a group disability provider, cancer remains the leading cause of long-term disability absence for the seventh straight year. A bit of good news, however, is that with increasing survivorship rates, many cancer patients are returning to work as cancer survivors. From 2001 to 2005, the rate of short-term cancer disability cases that returned to work increased 77%, along with 24% of long-term cancer disability cases.

Worksite Health Promotion, June 2008

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Prepare Your Workplace for Summer

(Cont'd from page 1)
asthma. Implementing a tobacco-free worksite policy is a great way to eliminate secondhand smoke onsite. It can also help facilitate the quitting process for employees who do smoke. Here are some suggestions: Inform employees of tobacco-free
policy in writing. Post "no smoking" signs at entrances. Remove ashtrays from premises. Provide onsite cessation programs to
help those who want to quit. Refer employees to the Georgia
Tobacco Quit Line. Call 1.877.270.STOP or visit http://livehealthygeorgia.org/quitLine/in dex.shtml.
Keep it Natural With so many fruits in season during the summer months, infuse your workplace with them. Whether in the cafeteria, through vending machines, or snacks available at work, there are many creative ways to encourage employees to eat healthier. Offer dried fruit and trail mix instead of
candy in your candy dish. Replace high-fat, high-sugar vending
machine snacks with nuts, fruit cups and other low-fat items.

Other things you can do at your workplace include: Consider planting a company garden
and grow simple things like tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Organize an onsite-farmers market where employees can purchase fruits and vegetables. Organize a "build your salad" event where employees can each bring a different ingredient and make their own salad.
Help Employees to be Prepared This is a good time to review safety information with employees and to check and restock emergency supplies. Develop and practice your company's emergency response plan. Make sure that your plan is more than just an evacuation plan and that it includes planned action for medical emergencies like heart attack and stroke. Other things to help employees get prepared include: Offering training on first aid, CPR,
and use of an AED (automatic external defibrillator). Designating onsite emergency responders and assign tasks like calling 911. Equipping each workstation with emergency supplies like a flashlight and first aid kit.

Try a fruit bowl in the break room or other common space.
What about those meetings and company picnics? It always seems so difficult to eat healthy when you are presented with a smorgasbord of tasty treats. Try fruit parfaits and fruit salad at
breakfast meetings instead of donuts. Serve frozen yogurt or fruit sorbet
instead of ice cream at company socials and celebrations. Include vegetarian options on menus at meetings and other events. Don't forget the watermelon at the company picnic.
Worksite Health Promotion, June 2008

What About Outdoor Workers? Those whose work requires them to be outdoors during the summer months need to be particularly cautious as the temperature begins to rise. It is important that employees be educated on sun safety and heat-related injuries. Companies should encourage employees to: Wear hats and sunglasses Apply sunscreen Drink lots of water Take additional breaks Two helpful fact sheets from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) are Protecting Workers from Effects of Heat and Working Outdoors in Warm Climates.
Summer isn't just a time to lay back and soak up the sun. Get employees and your work environment geared up for summer wellness efforts. Also remember to keep employee safety a priority.

Health Observances
June

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National Cancer Survivors Day (June 1) National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation http://www.ncsdf.org/
National Headache Awareness Week (June 1-7) National Headache Foundation http://www.headaches.org/
Sun Safety Week (June 8-14) Sun Safety Alliance http://www.sunsafetyalliance.org/
National Men's Health Week (June 9-15) Men's Health Network http://www.menshealthweek.org/
Fireworks Safety Month (June 1 - July 4) Prevent Blindness America http://www.preventblindness.org/
Home Safety Month Home Safety Council http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/homesafety month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America http://www.myasthenia.org/
National Aphasia Month National Aphasia Association http://www.aphasia.org/
National Scleroderma Awareness Month Scleroderma Foundation http://www.scleroderma.org/
National Scoliosis Awareness Month National Scoliosis Foundation http://www.scoliosis.org/

July

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Hemochromatosis Awareness Month Iron Disorders Institute http://www.irondisorders.org/

International Group B Strep Awareness Month Group B Strep International http://www.groupbstrepinternational.org/

UV Safety Month American Academy of Ophthalmology http://www.aao.org/eyemd

August

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Cataract Awareness Month American Academy of Opthamology http://www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/cataract.cfm

Children's Eye Health & Safety Month Prevent Blindness America http://www.preventblindness.org/

National Immunization Awareness Month National Immunization Program Centers for Disease Control & Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines

National Minority Donor Day (August 1) National Immunization Program Centers for Disease Control & Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Psoriasis Awareness Month National Psoriasis Foundation http://www.psoriasis.org/

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RESOURCE CORNER

OTHER GEORGIA PROGRAMS

RESOURCE MATERIALS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Get Outdoor Georgia
The Get Outdoors Georgia initiative focuses on recreation that highlights the link between participation in outdoor recreation and improved health for people of all ages and abilities; decreased obesity; and an emphasis on children's early involvement in nature for establishing life-long physical, mental and community benefits.
For more information or to find activitybased events in your area, visit the Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites at http://www.georgiastateparks.org/net/cont ent/page.aspx?s=144673.0.1.5.
You can also visit the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' website to learn more about state`s natural and cultural resources at http://www.gadnr.org/.

Making Your Workplace Smokefree: A Decision Makers Guide. This resource guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes sample smokefree policies. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/secondhand_s moke/00_pdfs/fullguide.pdf
Smoke-free Policies: Establishing a smoke-free ordinance to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in indoor worksites and public places. Resource guide from the Partnership for Prevention. Available at: http://www.prevent.org/actionguides/Smoke FreePolicies.pdf
Georgia Smokefree Air Act. Online resources include guide for businesses and employers, sample signage, and printable Quit Line brochures. For more information, go to www.dhr.georgia.gov/gasmokefreeair.
Georgia Tobacco Quit Line The Georgia Tobacco Quit Line is a free cessation resource available to all Georgians ages 13 and older. 1.877.270.STOP http://livehealthygeorgia.org/quitLine/index .shtml

Case Management Society of America Annual Conference and Expo June 17-20, 2008, Orlando, FL http://www.cmsa.org/conference
Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference June 22-25, 2008, Chicago, IL http://www.shrm.org/conferences/annual/
National Wellness Conference July 12-17, 2008, Stevens Point, WI http://www.hbce.com/
Health Care Management Conference July 14-16, 2008, Seattle, WA http://www.ifebp.org/Education/Schedule/
Achieving Return on Investment for Wellness July 15-17, 2008, Washington, DC http://www.worldrg.com/showConferenc e.cfm?confCode=HW08059
Benefits Management Forum & Expo Sept. 21-23, 2008, National Harbor, MD http://benefits-forum.com/index.html

GA's Worksite Health Initiative
GA DHR Div. of Public Health www.health.state.ga.us/programs/ worksitehealth
WorksiteHealth@dhr.state.ga.us

WORKSITE WELLNESS IN THE NEWS
Team Pursuits that Play Well in the Workplace Financial Times, March 4, 2008 How Private a Matter is Employee's Illness? Financial Times, March 7, 2008 New Jersey Assembly Approves Paid Leave to Care for Baby or Ailing Kin NY Times, March 14, 2008 'Fit Note' Plan to Stem Incapacity Benefit Flow Financial Times, March 18, 2008 Listen to What Your Workstation is Telling You Financial Times, April 2, 2008 Wal-Mart Chief Scolds Business for Avoiding Healthcare Debate Financial Times, April 3, 2008 Catholic School Teachers Strike Over Health Care and Plan Another Walkout NY Times, April 5, 2008 Visible Measures that Help Reduce Absenteeism Financial Times, April 17, 2008 Hide the Doritos! HR is Coming BusinessWeek, April 17, 2008 On Your Bike Financial Times, April 18, 2008 Continental Ends Merger Talks Over Fears for United's Financial Health Financial Times, April 28, 2008 Would You Hire a Pregnant Woman? BusinessWeek, April 29, 2008 A healthy workforce means healthy profits Financial Times, May 1, 2008 Sickened by the Office (Really) New York Times, May 1, 2008 Government Picks Up Tab of Uninsured Workers BusinessWeek, May 2, 2008 Pregnancy and Work Can Work BusinessWeek, May 2, 2008 The Issue: Talking About Depression at Work BusinessWeek, June 4, 2008

Worksite Health Promotion, June 2008

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