Health and Safety

Fall Take a Hike Features a New Poster Puzzler Challenge

The recent Take a Hike event, sponsored by Occupational Health Services, featured a new twist: A Poster Puzzler challenge courtesy of Scientific Publications, Graphics and Media. Participants were asked to identify words on six objects along the Hike path based on photographs that showed the objects with the words blurred out.

OHS Redecorates Exam Rooms to Educate Patients

Occupational Health Services interns are educating patients during their visits via updated exam rooms that now display health-related “themes” like cancer, general health, mental health, and travel safety. They hope the vibrant designs and intriguing facts they’ve displayed will attract attention and benefit patients.

Are You at Risk for Contact Dermatitis?

You probably don’t give much thought to hand health. Until something goes wrong, almost everyone takes for granted that these crucial appendages will continue working as they always have. But hand health is an important consideration, especially at work. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis account for 15–20 percent of all reported occupational diseases, and they cost employers an estimated $1 billion each year in lost workdays and decreased productivity.

Pest Prevention 101

During the summer months, along with rising temperatures and more daylight, comes the nuisance of mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects. In the United States, mosquito bites are largely no more than an annoyance, but worldwide, mosquitoes transmit disease to more than 700 million people every year, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. And the recent outbreaks of the Zika virus have made people especially wary. The best way to avoid the threat of any insect-borne disease is to prevent bites from occurring in the first place.

Occupational Health Services Shows Its Support for American Heart Month

The American Heart Association (AHA) has recognized February as American Heart Month since President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 proclamation made it an annual occurrence. Throughout the month, Occupational Health Services did its part to help educate NCI and Frederick National Lab employees about the dangers of heart disease.