The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, (published by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) has released finding from a new nationwide study on the relationship between health and workplace productivity. Dr. Judith Ricci analyzed data on nearly 29,000 American workers, finding that 38% experienced “low levels of energy, poor sleep, or a feeling of fatigue” during the past two weeks. With adjustments for other factors, fatigue was more common in women than men; more common in workers under than 50 years old; and more common among white workers compared with African Americans. Workers with relatively well-paid jobs involving decision-making responsibilities also reported higher rates of fatigue.

The study looked at the effects of fatigue on health-related lost productive time. This included not only absenteeism but also “presenteeism”: days when an employee came to work but performed at lower capacity due to fatigue. Fatigue impacted work performance primarily by interfering with concentration and increasing the time for accomplishing tasks.

The rate of lost productivity for all health-related reasons was also much higher for workers with fatigue (66%) as opposed to for workers without fatigue (26%). Loss in productive time averaged 5.6 hours per week for workers suffering from fatigue, compared to 3.3 hours for more rested counterparts. Among U.S. employers, fatigue was responsible for estimated costs of more than $136 billion per year in health-related lost productivity – almost twice the figure over that of workers without fatigue. Eighty-four percent of those costs came from lower performance at work rather than days missed.

Fatigue can be a health symptom of broader conditions like depression or anxiety. A large part of costs to employers are related to a wide range of other physical and mental health problems that may occur when fatigue is also present.

Up until now, most studies have linked fatigue to absences from work. This most recent study is the first to focus specifically on rates of fatigue among U.S. workers, and how they correspond to worker productivity.

In some cases, fatigue is actually a symptom of a work injury or illness. If you believe this could be the case, and need professional help collecting workers compensation benefits from the Department of Labor and Industries, contact an Emery Reddy attorney to represent your claim. Our team of L&I Lawyers and Seattle Workers Compensation Attorneys also help workers appeal denied L&I claim, provide consultation to those who’ve been required to undergo an independent medical examination, and those experiencing any trouble with their L&I claim. Contact an experienced employment attorney today for help with your workplace legal issues.

Fatalities per 100k: 15.6

Fatalities in 2011: 21

The biggest cause of death for electrical power-line installers and repairers is exposure to hazardous substances, workplace falls, and electrocution. The median annual salary for power-line workers in 2008 was $55,100.

# 9: Police officers

Fatalities per 100k: 18.0

Fatalities in 2011: 133

Transportation incidents are the leading cause of death for police and sheriff patrol officers, but assault and violent acts also accounted for 53 American fatalities in 2010.

In May 2010, the median hourly wage for police officers was $25.74.

# 8: Truck drivers

Fatalities per 100k: 21.8

Fatalities in 2011: 683

Truck drivers deal with long hours and narrow profit margins, which create situations leading to accidents. Median hourly wages vary: for heavy truck drivers working long shifts, earning were $17.92 in May 2008; for light truck or delivery truck drivers, $13.27; and for drivers/sales workers, it was $10.70.

# 7: Garbage and recycling collectors

Fatalities per 100k: 22.8

Fatalities in 2011: 26

Nearly all of the deaths for refuse and recyclable material collectors occur in transportation incidents. The mean hourly wage for the profession is $16.50.

# 6: Roofers

Fatalities per 100k: 32.4

Fatalities in 2011: 57

As you’d probably expect for a profession that involves working at heights, the most common cause of death for roofers is falls. In May 2008, the median hourly wage for roofers was $16.17.

# 5: Coal mining

Fatalities per 100k: 38.9

Fatalities in 2011: 43

The media tends to cover coal miners deaths when mine shafts collapse, but fatalities also occur many years after work is performed, often far from the source itself as worker’s succumb to occupational illness. The most common form of this workplace illness is Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung disease. The median hourly wage for those in the coal mining industry is $23.11.

# 4: Farmers and ranchers

Fatalities per 100k: 41.4

Fatalities in 2011: 300

Because of machinery and difficulties moving animals and equipment that farmers and ranchers face each day, transportation incidents are the leading cause of death. Contact with objects and equipment also causes a significant number of fatalities—about one third.

# 3: Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

Fatalities per 100k: 70.6

Fatalities in 2011: 78

Flight accidents claimed the lives of 76 American aircraft pilots and flight engineers in 2011, including crashes. Unlike many other jobs on this list, the earning potential for pilots is high—the median annual salary for airline pilots and flight engineers is was $111,680, and for commercial pilots it was $65,340.

# 2: Logging workers

Fatalities per 100k: 91.9

Fatalities in 2011: 59

The most common cause of death for loggers is contact with objects or equipment—both trees that are being cut and the logging instruments themselves. The median hourly wages for logging workers ranges from $14.66 to $15.96.

# 1: Fishers and related fishing workers

Fatalities per 100k: 116

Fatalities in 2011: 29

For fishers and fishing-related workers, the most common cause of death is transportation incidents, though about 30% of deaths are caused by drowning. Also, for the most dangerous job in the U.S, wages are low: the median hourly wage is currently only $12.30.

Yet some forms of stress are less “institutionalized,” and therefore easier to manage on an individual level. Small changes in daily habits and activities can bring about substantial improvements in these kinds of workplace stress levels.

Lowering stress in the workplace can enhance both physical and emotional health, while also improving job performance and personal career satisfaction.

In our recent article on managing workplace stress, we discussed Tip # 1 (Recognizing signs of excessive job-related stress) and Tip # 2 (Taking care of yourself). Hare are some additional steps workers can take to lower their personal stress in the workplace:

Tip 3: Reduce job stress by prioritizing and organizing

When workplace stress threatens to overwhelm your job, take some basic steps to regain control over the situation.

Time management

• Balance your schedule. Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. All work with no leisure or recovery time is a recipe for certain burnout. Seek a balance between work and family life, social activities and individual pursuits, daily responsibilities and personal downtime.
• Don’t over-commit yourself. Avoid scheduling back-to-back activities or cramming too much into one day. We often underestimate how long certain tasks and commitments can take. If you find that you have too much on your plate, drop tasks that aren’t completely necessary to the bottom of the list – or eliminate them entirely!
• Try to leave earlier in the morning. Even 10-15 minutes can make the difference between frantically rushing to your desk and having time to ease into your day. Don’t increase your stress levels by running late.
• Plan regular breaks. Make sure to take brief breaks throughout the day to walk around, stretch, or clear your mind.  Try to move away from your desk or work station for lunch. Stepping away – even for a short window – can relax and recharge you, making you more, not less, productive.

Task management tips for reducing job stress

• Prioritize tasks. Make a list of essential tasks, and tackle them in order of importance. Complete the high-priority items first. If you must complete something particularly unpleasant, get it over with early. The remainder of your day will be more pleasant as a result.
• Break projects into smaller pieces. If a big project seems overwhelming, create a step-by-step plan. Rather than attempting to tackled everything at once, focus on one manageable step at a time.
• Delegate responsibility. You don’t have to do it all yourself. If other people can take care of the task, why not ask them? Let go of your desire to control or oversee every step. This will eliminate unnecessary stress in the process.
• Stay open to Compromising. When you ask a co-worker to contribute differently to a task, change a deadline, or alter their behavior at work, be willing to do so yourself. In many cases, if both parties bend a little, you’ll find a productive middle ground that reduces the stress levels for everyone involved.

Tip 4: Reduce job stress by breaking bad habits

As we become better at managing job stress and improving work relationships, we gain more control over our ability to think clearly and act appropriately. This allows us to break habits that add stress to our work lives – and can even change negative thought patterns concerning things that increase stress levels.

Identify self-defeating behaviors

Many of us make job stress worse through negative thoughts and habits. If you can reverse these self-defeating habits, you’ll find other sources of stress (such as manager-imposed stress) easier to handle.

• Resist perfectionism. No project, decision or scenario is ever ideal, so striving for perfection on every front will just add needless stress to your day. When you set unattainable goals for yourself or take on too much, you set yourself up for disappointment. Aim to do a good, solid job; no one can ask for more than that.
• Clean up your act. If you tend to run late, set your clocks a few minutes fast or simply give yourself extra time. If your desk is cluttered, file and throw away the mess; simply knowing where everything saves time and reduces stress. Make to-do lists and cross off items as you accomplish them. Plan your day and stick to the schedule — you’ll feel less overwhelmed.
• Reverse your negative thinking. If you see the downside of every situation, you’ll becomes drained in no time. Try to see positive aspects in your work, avoid co-workers with negative attitudes, and reward yourself for small accomplishments (even when no one else does!)
• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Some things in our jobs and simply beyond our control— especially the behavior of others. Rather than fretting over them, focus on the things you can control, such as the manner in which you respond to problems.

Five Ways to Dispel Stress

• Take a few minutes away. When stress at work is building, give yourself a quick break and remove yourself from the stressful situation. Take a quick walk outside if possible, or spend a few minutes breathing deeply or stretching in another room. Physical activity or just finding a quiet place to “regroup” can quickly reduce stress.
• Talk with someone. In some situations, simply sharing your thoughts with someone who is both supportive and empathetic can be a great way to let off steam and diffuse your negative emotions.
• Connect with others at work. Developing friendships and relationships with co-workers can help protect you from the negative effects of stress. Remember to reciprocate by listening to them in turn, and offer support when they need it.
• Find humor in the situation. When used appropriately, humor is an effective – and enjoyable – way to diffuse stress in your job. Try to avoid taking things too seriously if a problem does not warrant it, and lighten the mood by sharing a joke or funny story.

The news has exciting implications for Washington workers and the regional economy more generally. Read the full story below, or visit the Seattle Times to read Friday’s article: Expertise, economics make Everett strong bet for future 777 line

To build its major upgrade to the blockbuster 777 widebody jet, Boeing is considering how to squeeze additional manufacturing work into its busy Everett site, perhaps even finding room for an additional assembly line.

“Boeing is actively looking at multiple scenarios for expanding the Everett site to accommodate the building of the new jet,” said a veteran company insider with knowledge of the internal discussions.

The expected growth from the planned 777X should add hundreds of production jobs.

Yet Washington state has a shot at a tantalizing bonus prize that could be even more important for the region’s aerospace future: a facility to manufacture the 777X’s huge, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic composite wings — the biggest such wings ever made.

An Everett 777X wing plant — where local workers would build the most important part of the plane out of the material likely to be standard on future models — would fill a gaping hole left when Boeing outsourced the 787 Dreamliner wing.

“To get the new technology and start building the wings of the future, that would be a giant, giant win for Washington state,” said Mark Blondin, national aerospace coordinator with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union.

A manager at Mitsubishi said its 787 wing plant in Narita, Japan, employs about 1,000 people.

Nothing is certain about the 777X. The concept Boeing executives are marketing to airlines includes a metal fuselage with composite wings and tail, but the company says it hasn’t made any decisions on the jet’s design or the manufacturing plan.

However, Boeing almost certainly will assemble the 777X in Everett. Costs would be prohibitive to duplicate elsewhere the 777 supply chain and workforce.

And insiders say Boeing is likely to build the wing in-house.

While other locations will be considered, the difficulty of transporting such long wings to Everett could give the state an edge.

In the next few years, designing the 777X will sustain thousands of engineering jobs in Everett.

On the production side, the current boom already has the main assembly plant — the largest building by volume in the world — “busting at the seams,” as the company insider put it.

Options for expansion include moving work around within the existing plant, extending an assembly bay, or setting up shop elsewhere around Paine Field, perhaps in a large hangar Boeing intends to buy.

The company must decide on a basic manufacturing plan relatively soon. Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh said he hopes to present his 777X proposal to the Boeing board by year-end.

Star of the fleet

The 777 is Boeing’s star airliner, with no Airbus competition in its category.

Last year, Boeing sold 200 of them, worth nearly $33 billion after standard discounts. The 1,000th jet in the series was delivered last month.

With its 777X plan — encompassing 777-8X and 777-9X sub-models — Boeing intends to head off a potential threat to that lucrative franchise from an upcoming Airbus jet, the all-composite A350-1000.

Boeing likely will begin building the new jet in 2017, targeting first delivery in 2019.

A fleet planner for a major international airline, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said new wings and new engines make the 777X “halfway to a new plane.”

Boeing will have to invest several billion dollars. If it succeeds, the 777 family could become the first widebody to reach 2,000 deliveries.

On the Friday before Easter, Albaugh shifted his weekly executive review meeting to Everett from its usual venue at the Longacres headquarters building in Renton.

The group met in a conference room overlooking the 777 final-assembly bay, signifying the focus for the day: how to reconfigure the manufacturing space so Boeing can introduce the new 777X model without slowing production of the current 777 cash cow.

Boeing conceivably could create a single expanded Everett production line capable of assembling both current 777 models and 777X models.

But both the veteran Boeing insider and an outsider close to the company believe the 777X likely will need a dedicated second line in Everett to avoid disrupting deliveries of existing 777 models.

Either way, the problem is where to squeeze it in. The six major assembly bays are occupied, including one devoted to a 787 “surge line” that’s supposed to be temporary but isn’t expected to wind down for years.

Making room in Everett

Options for making more room in Everett include:

• Moving 777 work into the large hangar that Boeing leases from Aviation Technical Services (ATS) at the south end of Paine Field. Mechanics are reworking 787 Dreamliners there now but are scheduled to be finished in early 2014, in plenty of time for the 777X.

Boeing has a pending offer to buy the facility outright, and ATS won’t return to the building, said two people with knowledge of the agreement.

• Extending the 777 assembly line by relocating the fabrication of the jet’s fuselage sections, now done in a bay at the rear of the assembly line.

That work could be moved elsewhere on the Everett site, perhaps into another back bay now obstructed by a balcony that would have to be ripped out.

• Making the 777 bay bigger. Within a year, Boeing plans to demolish some two-story engineering buildings directly behind the 787 and 777 bays and replace them with new office towers nearby. The land those buildings stand on is earmarked for extra parking spaces, but it also could potentially be used to extend the 777 bay toward the rear.

• Building new facilities on 75 wooded acres owned by Snohomish County on the west side of the Paine Field runway. Bill Dolan, deputy director at Paine Field airport, said that land has been reserved for aviation use.

The former ATS building is the most intriguing option. It’s big enough to house a dedicated 777X assembly line, or work relocated from the main plant. Or it could be demolished to make way for a composites-wing plant.

However, there are also smaller and more easily-managed causes of stress. The good news here is that managing workplace stress does not always require extensive changes. Sometimes improvements can start by focusing on the one thing that’s most squarely within your control: you.

The ability to reduce stress in the workplace can not only enhance physical and emotional health, but can also make the difference between success or failure in a career. Emotions can be contagious, and therefore stress can affect the nature and quality of your interactions with other workers. The better you become at managing your stress, the more positive effects you’ll have on others, and the less co-workers’ stress will negatively impact you.

Learn to manage job stress

There are many steps workers can take to reduce personal stress levels in the workplace.

Tip 1: Recognize signs of excessive job-related stress

When workers feel overwhelmed on the job, they often lose confidence or become irritable or withdrawn. This can compromise your job performance, and even make your work seem less rewarding. Ignoring the warning signs of job-related stress generally leads to bigger problems like chronic stress accompanied by physical and emotional health problems.

Common Symptoms of excessive workplace stress

• Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed
• Apathy, loss of interest in work
• Trouble sleeping
• Fatigue

• Difficulty in concentrating
• Alcohol or drug use as a coping strategy

• Muscle tension or headaches
• Stomach problems
• Social withdrawal

 Tip 2: Take care of yourself 

When job-related stress interferes with your ability to adequately perform at work, manage your personal life, or negatively affects your health, it’s time to take action. Start by paying attention to your physical and emotional health. When your personal needs are fully addressed, you’ll feel more resilient and be in a better position to overcome stress without feeling overwhelmed.

Even minor changes can lift your mood, increase energy, and make you feel like you’re back in control. Here are some common stress-management techniques:

Get moving

Aerobic activities that raise your heart rate are highly effective for elevating mood, increasing energy, honing your focus, and relaxing the mind and body. For effective stress relief, try to complete at least 30 minutes of heart-pounding activity daily. If it’s easier to fit into your schedule, break the activity into shorter segments throughout the day.

Make food choices that keep you going

Low blood sugar can cause anxiety and irritability, while overeating can make us lethargic. Try eating small but frequent meals during the day to maintain an even blood sugar level and avoid mood swings.

Drink alcohol in moderation

While alcohol can temporarily reduce anxiety, overconsumption can cause anxiety as it wears off. Drinking to relieve job stress can also lead to alcohol abuse and dependence in the long run.

Get adequate sleep

Not only can stress and worry lead to insomnia, but insufficient sleep can make workers vulnerable to even more stress. When we’re well-rested, it’s easier to maintain emotional balance, a key factor in coping with workplace stress.

For more information on reducing workplace stress, check back with us for the second part of this article. Stay tuned for tips #3 and #4 …

Mother Jones

Each year, Workers’ Memorial Day, International Workers’ Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day (ICD) for the Dead and Injured (Day of Mourning) is observed around the world on April 28, a global day of remembrance and action for workers who have been killed, injured, disabled, or fallen ill because of their work. International events include direct campaigning and workplace safety awareness events. Public events include speeches, multi-faith religious services, the laying of wreaths and ringing of bells, planting trees, unveiling monuments, raising public awareness of worker risks, and laying out empty shoes to symbolize those who have died at work.

Workers’ Memorial Day is an important occasion to bring to light the preventable nature of most workplace accidents and illnesses, and to advance campaigns and union organization in the struggle for worker rights and improvements in workplace safety. The slogan for the day is Remember the dead – Fight for the living.

ORIGINS

Workers’ Memorial Day was first organized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in 1984. The Canadian Labor Congress declared an annual day of remembrance on April 28, 1985, which falls on the anniversary of a comprehensive Workers Compensation Act in 1914 (see Workplace Safety & Insurance Board). In 1991, the Canadian Parliament passed an Act respecting a National Day of Mourning for those injured or killed in the workplace, thus establishing April 28 an official Workers’ Mourning Day.

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCE

For years, Worker’s Memorial Day events have been observed in the U.S. and Canada, and eventually worldwide. In the U.S., the day has been officially recognized since 1989. In that year, trade unions in North America, Asia, Europe and Africa publicized events and commemorations on April 28. The late Hazards Campaigner Tommy Harte brought Workers Memorial Day to the UK in 1992 as a day to ‘Remember the Dead: Fight for the Living’.

Workers’ Memorial Day is observed as a national day in countries including: Argentina, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Luxembourg, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Taiwan, United States and the United Kingdom. Trade Unions in other countries including Benin, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Malta, Nepal, New Zealand, Romania and Singapore are currently pushing for government recognition.

Worldwide Deaths and Injuries

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), across the world:

• Each year, more than two million women and men die as a result of work-related accidents and diseases
• Workers suffer approximately 270 million accidents each year, and fall victim to some 160 million incidents of -related illnesses
• Hazardous substances kill 440,000 workers annually – asbestos claims 100,000 lives
• One worker dies every 15 seconds worldwide. 6,000 workers die every day. More people die at work than in fighting wars.

The workers to be honored range from the very young (including the 18-year-old worker who died from a construction site injury) to seniors in the workforce (such as the 84-year-old storage manager who was murdered at work). Some worked in hazardous jobs like logging, fishing and construction, while others worked in lower-risk professions like retail management, dry cleaning, or research.

As L&I Director Judy Schurke stated, “A workplace death can happen anywhere and, when it does, the lives of those close to the person who died are changed forever. Worker Memorial Day is our chance to honor those who died on the job or from illnesses that resulted from their work, and let their friends and families know that they will not be forgotten.”

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. at L&I’s central building in Tumwater, 7273 Linderson Way S.W. This will mark the 19^th annual observation of Worker Memorial Day by L&I.  Speakers will include representatives from Governor Chris Gregoire’s office, the Association of Washington Business, the Washington State Labor Council, and the Washington Self-Insurers Association.

While the relatives of all Washington workers who died in 2011 have been invited, the ceremony is open to all friends, colleagues, and the general public. The ceremony will feature a reading of the names of the lost Washington workers, accompanied by bell ringers from the Tumwater Fire Department. Following the ceremony, the family members are invited to ring the brass bell in the Worker Memorial garden at the L&I headquarters.  For a complete list of those being honored, visit www.WorkerMemorialDay.Lni.wa.gov.

The willful violations arise from the company permitting grain dust — which is ten times more explosive than coal dust — to build up, using compressed air to remove dust without first disengaging ignition sources, jogging (repeatedly starting and stopping) inside bucket elevators to free gears choked by grain, using inappropriate electrical equipment within an explosive working environment, and neglecting to ensure that employees had used fall protection when working from heights.

“The deaths of these six workers could have been prevented had the grain elevator’s operators addressed hazards that are well known in this industry,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “Bartlett Grain’s disregard for the law led to a catastrophic accident and heartbreaking tragedy for the workers who were injured or killed, their families and the agricultural community.”

The serious violations involve a lack of proper preventive maintenance of grain handling equipment; inadequate emergency and job hazard training for employees and contractors; and unsound cleaning practices that failed to prevent grain dust accumulation.

The citations to Bartlett Grain, which is based in Kansas City, Mo., carry $406,000 in proposed fines.

“OSHA standards save lives, but only if companies comply with them,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “Bartlett Grain has shown what happens when basic safety standards are ignored, and this agency simply will not tolerate needless loss of life.”

A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

During the last 30 years, there have been over 500 explosions in grain facilities across the United States, killing more than 180 people and injuring over 675. Grain dust is the main source of fuel for explosions in grain handling. This dust is highly combustible and can burn or ignite if enough becomes airborne or accumulates on surfaces that are contacted by an ignition source (such as an overheated motor or sparks from welding or brazing operations). OSHA standards require that both grain dust and ignition sources be controlled in grain elevators to prevent potentially deadly explosions. For more information on grain handling, visit http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/grainhandling/index.html.

The citations to Bartlett Grain Co. L.P. can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Bartlett_issued_04122012.pdf

If you have suffered from a work injury, need help recovering workers compensation benefits from your L&I claim, or need representation to appeal a denied L&I claim, an L&I Lawyer at Emery Reddy can represent your case. Every day our experienced Employment Attorneys and Seattle Workers Compensation Lawyers help Washington workers collect the full compensation and benefits they deserve, and provide legal counsel to those who have been required to undergo an independent medical exam by the Department of Labor and Industries.

The advisory committee says studies show a large number of cancers, including blood, digestive, skin, oral and respiratory diseases, are directly linked to dust at the World Trade Center after the September 11th attacks. Yet cancer was left out of the Zadroga health care bill despite dedicated advocacy from people who fell ill after breathing toxins at Ground Zero. The administrator of the program wanted more conclusive evidence.

If the government approves the recommendations, cancer victims would be eligible to apply for a share of the $2.8 billion compensation fund. The panel is scheduled to present its findings on April 2.

Yet Feal noted that even when the panel’s recommendation is made, a bitter political fight could remain. “Once it gets down to deciding what cancers to add, that becomes political — when people debate what can be afforded or not,” he said. “That’s what we have to fight against.”

Read more details here about 9/11 compensation.

If you are suffering from any occupational illness or work injury and need professional assistance to recover your workers compensation benefits from the Department of Labor and Industries, contact an L&I Lawyer at Emery Reddy today. We represent clients who want to appeal a denied L&I claim, or who have been required to complete an independent medical examination. Our knowledgeable and experienced Workers Compensation Attorneys and Seattle employment attorneys provide guidance to workers experiencing any difficulty with an L&I claim.