U.S. HealthWorks Tips for Employers: Distractions that Cause Injuries

Some people can’t chew gum and walk at the same time, so says a funny anecdote. Apparently, there are those who can’t text and walk simultaneously, either. According to a 2015 study conducted by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, injuries due to use of mobile devices and other distractions while walking have more than doubled since 2004.

The National Safety Council said in 2015 that although 52 percent of such injuries happen at home; however, employers should also do their part in managing the risk of distractions in the workplace.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/05/u-s-healthworks-tips-employers-distractions-cause-injuries/

How Physical and Occupational Therapy Can Help With Wrist Tendonitis

Office workers who regularly type on a computer keyboard are the most susceptible to contracting wrist tendinitis. Simply put, this is a condition wherein the tendons, tissues that connect the muscles to the bones, become inflamed or irritated.

While far from being debilitating, it can worsen over time and prevent the person from properly using their arms and hands. Particularly because the wrist is a joint, doing even the simplest task, such as carrying a small object, can become painful.

Fortunately, physical and occupational therapy have been found to help alleviate the discomfort brought about by wrist tendonitis. Therapy services provided by the company’s health program would go a long way to help ensure the workforce’s productivity.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/05/physical-occupational-therapy-can-help-wrist-tendonitis/

An Onsite Clinic can Help Increase the Number of Employee Flu Shots

It would be beneficial for employers to set up a worksite clinic that can provide the employees some basic medical assistance, such as check-ups , vaccinations and flu shots. This is especially true for illnesses that tend to spike in numbers during a specific time of the year and effect the health of the employees and, consequently, their productivity.

Flu and Office Productivity

There are many benefits to having an onsite clinic that could administer flu shots to the staff, such as a decrease in the need for healthcare visits, improved work attendance, and better overall well-being.

Absenteeism—for a variety of reasons—is among the top causes of loss of productivity in the workplace. Among these, catching the flu is one of the most constant excuses to miss work given by the employee.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/05/onsite-clinic-can-help-increase-number-employee-flu-shots/

Varicella Vaccinations: Protecting Yourself and Others from Chickenpox

Cases of chickenpox have been steadily growing over the last few years, resulting in more outbreaks. While this may not immediately cause concern among adults, the rise of chickenpox cases should definitely motivate you to get yourself vaccinated—especially if no one in your family has ever come down with the ailment.

Why get vaccinated? Although chickenpox is usually seen as a childhood disease, adults who do not have the appropriate antibodies from being vaccinated are also at-risk of contracting the virus. While a week or two of itching may not seem like much, the truth is that contracting chickenpox as an adult is much more dangerous.

Symptoms are usually more severe in adults

Medical studies have shown that people who contract chickenpox as adults suffer from more severe symptoms. To be specific, adults usually experienced higher fevers and more intense itching than children.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/05/varicella-vaccinations-protecting-others-chickenpox/

Six Simple Ways to Encourage Your Employees to Receive a Flu Shot

The flu is one of the most infectious viruses in the United States with millions of Americans contracting the flu every year. As such, the flu is also one of the most common reasons for missed work.

Fortunately, your employees can significantly decrease their chances of contracting the flu by getting the flu vaccine. While many employers highly encourage their employees to receive flu shots for work. The challenge, however, is getting employees to follow through with their flu shot. With that in mind, here are a few simple steps you can take to improve the vaccination rates of your employees:

Hold a Flu Vaccination Seminar

Many people decide not to have a flu shot because they believe in old flu shot myths, such as “the vaccine will actually give you the flu” or “I can combat the flu with antibiotics”. Hold a flu vaccination seminar at your workplace to help dispel these myths and educate your employees.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/06/six-simple-ways-encourage-employees-receive-flu-shot/

4 Circumstances when it's Okay to Conduct Employee Drug Testing

Drug testing, along with other forms of pre-employment verifications, is a requirement for many companies. For employers, it’s an effective way to confirm that their employees are clear-minded and ready to put their best foot forward each day. A well run drug testing program can increase productivity, while minimizing accidents, absenteeism and turnover among employees.

There are four basic situations wherein drug testing would typically be warranted. If your organization implements drug and alcohol tests for employees, be sure to have these listed in your company policy:

Pre-employment testing

Prior to employment is generally when most employers begin the drug screening process. According to experts, pre-employment drug testing is best done after the new employee has been selected so money isn’t spent on candidates who are not the right fit for the job.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/06/4-circumstances-okay-conduct-employee-drug-testing/

Avoid Potentially Hazardous Workplace Situations with a Pre-Employment Physical

Employers should be very careful in fielding applicants for job openings in their company. It’s not only to ensure that the applicant is going to be healthy enough to work with you, it’s also to guarantee that they are going to be a perfect fit for the specific job they are applying for.

The repercussions of not requiring a pre-employment physical exam are varied and can be severe, but perhaps the most serious is that the new employee is not a physically a viable match for the job and subsequently experiences an injury. This in turn means that the employee has now become a liability to the company.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/06/avoid-potentially-hazardous-workplace-situations-pre-employment-physical/

Occupational Health Services: 5 Reasons Why Employees Suffer Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed workdays in the United States, second only to the flu. In fact, a study from the Integrated Benefits Institute claims that U.S. companies lose about $34,600 per 100 employees annually due to missed workdays. Even if someone suffering from back pain decides to report for work, there is a good chance that he or she will be less productive.

Employees will often experience acute back pain from time to time. There are occasions, however, when acute back pain becomes a chronic issue due to your employees repeatedly exposing themselves to the following common causes of lower back pain:

1. Stress

A high stress environment can cause back pain for certain individuals. This pain leads to employees experiencing additional stress from dealing with the pain, which in turn leads to further back pain.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/06/occupational-health-services-5-reasons-employees-suffer-back-pain/

Occupational Medicine Clinic: Will Standing Desks Produce Healthier Employees?

Are you wondering why your employees feel lethargic and uncomfortable at work? They may be experiencing chronic back pain, which can also cause problems in the shoulders and neck. Studies have shown that prolonged sitting may result in imbalance in the body, which leads to discomfort and recurring pain. In such cases, you might want to consider standing desks to relieve some of the discomfort your employees feel while at work.

Why Use a Standing or Active Desk

You may think that a sit-stand desk is just a fad and an unnecessary expense. You may also think that if an employee exercises regularly, he or she wouldn’t have to worry about discomfort and pain caused by sitting for prolonged hours. However, key findings about the benefits of standing desks revealed that they have real benefits for those who use them.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/06/occupational-medicine-clinic-will-standing-desks-produce-healthier-employees/

Should You Choose Emergency Room or U.S. HealthWorks Urgent Care?

If you had an employee who got injured while on the job, depending on their injury do you think you would know whether they would need an emergency room or U.S. HealthWorks urgent care clinic? It is crucial that you know the difference otherwise you could be paying a silly amount of money for a Band-Aid. If you want to avoid paying a lot of money for an unnecessary visit to the emergency room, here are some examples that call for an urgent care clinic:

• Sprains and strains
• Cuts and lacerations
• Minor broken bones
• Fever
• Light burns
• Minor eye injuries
• Profuse bleeding
• Seasonal allergies
• Moderate back problems
• Flu and cold
• Minor accidents and falls

All these situations above seem like they may be an emergency, but are actually better handled amongst urgent care professionals. U.S. HealthWorks for employers wants to make sure that employees are getting taken care of properly but also at a cost that makes sense.
http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/2016/03/choose-emergency-room-u-s-healthworks-urgent-care/