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occupational medicine

Encouraging Employees to Become Vaccinated

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Consider these suggestions to encourage your employees and workforce to become vaccinated against COVID-19:

  • Allow employees to get vaccinated during work hours or take paid leave to get vaccinated at a community site.
  • Support transportation to off-site vaccination clinics, such as paying fares for taxis or ridesharing services. Check with your health department(s) about potential assistance, such as a mobile clinic or transportation support.
  • Some jurisdictions have screening requirements to ensure that only those who are eligible are vaccinated. Be sure to let employees know what they will need to bring with them to be vaccinated (employee ID badge or name tag, voucher, etc.).
  • Post articles in company communications (e.g., newsletters, intranet, emails, portals) about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, as well as how and where to get the vaccine in the community.
  • Educate and help workers who are eligible for vaccination make their appointments through available channels.
  • Make sure employees know COVID-19 vaccine is provided free of charge. They should not be asked to pay any fee, including a vaccine administration fee, and cannot be denied vaccine if they do not have insurance coverage. Providers may bill their insurance plan or program for the administration fee if they have insurance.
  • Identify other potential barriers unique to your workforce and implement policies and practices to address them.
  • Consider eliminating the hassle of the daily “Health Checks” for those employees that become fully vaccinated.
  • Remember: COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease—especially severe illness and death.

Other benefits of becoming vaccinated:

Source: CDC.gov

Safety for Remote Employees

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As many companies have seen over the past few years, working remotely has its benefits — but it can also come with drawbacks, including body aches, eye strain, mental fatigue, overloaded electrical outlets, cybersecurity threats and even emotional exhaustion. Below, we’ve outlined a few tips for managing these and other risks while working from home, so that you might enjoy a healthier, happier work week.

Set up an ergonomic workstation.

Whether you’re moving around your home office or working at a single station all day, it is imperative to minimize strain to prevent injuries. That’s where ergonomics can help. Ergonomics deals with body efficiency and physical comfort, and it is key to minimizing bodily strain at work. The five key principles of ergonomics are:

  1. Relaxed shoulders
  2. Supported lower back
  3. Level head
  4. Straight wrists
  5. Supported feet

While working from home, it is essential to keep these five items in mind. Try to maintain a neutral position, whether you’re sitting stationary or working on a hands-on project. Your body should be aligned in a natural, straight line as much as possible, avoiding long stints in twisted or hunched positions. When working at a desk or table, make sure your chair, table and desktop monitor are positioned in a way that does not cause you to strain your back, neck or eyes.

Protect your physical and mental well-being.

While an ergonomic workstation benefits physical health, it is only part of your overall well-being while on the job. Taking time to exercise and eat well, in addition to giving your eyes a break from screens, are essential in protecting your physical and mental health. Tips for prioritizing and maintaining personal health at work may look like:

Resting often and taking breaks. Rest is one of the most important aspects of a successful job. Without it, good ergonomic practices are not only less meaningful, but also less maintainable. Get proper rest in your off-time, and remember to take breaks throughout the workday. Varying tasks will also help you stay clear and focused, without feeling overworked.

Focusing on constructive activities and creating boundaries. It is important to maintain mental and emotional growth outside of work. Try focusing on constructive goals in your down-time, like physical fitness and social connections, to boost your emotional state and foster a sense of personal accomplishment outside of work. You may also try limiting screen time while not working, as it can help delineate boundaries for your personal and professional time.

Staying connected to colleagues. Checking in regularly with other employees, whether with a phone call or a quick direct message, can help ease the sense of isolation that sometimes accompanies remote work environments. Keeping in touch and sharing thoughts or ideas is a great way to ensure that you stay connected to coworkers on a personal level.

Prevent cybersecurity risks.

While technology makes telecommuting easier, it also increases opportunities for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Remote work environments usually don’t have the same safeguards as in the office, so it’s important to practice good cybersecurity hygiene.

Keep your software protected and up to date. Update your software frequently, so that employees have the latest security measures installed in their remote machines. Using the latest anti-virus software and creating strong, varied passwords (with two-factor authentication, ideally) can help protect sensitive employer information.

Watch out for public threats. There are several ways a cyber threat can infiltrate your system, even with the precautions mentioned above. Be wary of potential phishing emails, and avoid using public WiFi—hackers can get into your system far more easily if you share the same network. Use a VPN or a personal hotspot instead.

Check your home office for safety hazards.

Your home often represents a place of comfort and security, which means that potential safety hazards can often be overlooked. With increased use of electrical equipment, such as laptops, tablets and phones, it’s even more important to identify potential risks and follow best practices to minimize safety hazards. To protect yourself against any such electrical danger, heed these recommendations from Electrical Safety Foundation International:

  • Don’t overload outlets.
  • Unplug any electronics or appliances that aren’t currently in use to save energy and mitigate the risk of fire.
  • Regularly inspect electrical and extension cords for damage. Replace cords that are damaged.
  • Never run cords under rugs, carpets, doors or windows. Make sure cords don’t become tripping hazards.
  • Keep papers and other possibly combustible items at least three feet away from space heaters and heat sources. Don’t plug space heaters into an extension cord.
  • Use proper wattage for lamps and lighting.
  • Test smoke alarms at least every three months, change batteries annually and replace units every 10 years.

Reducing the risk of physical hazards in your home office space will allow you to work more efficiently, without threat of injury. Additionally, keeping your space organized and uncluttered can make all the difference in ensuring your home office stays relaxing and pleasant while doing daily tasks.

For employers, protecting remote employees against potential physical and mental hazards help decrease their risk of burnout, feelings of isolation and physical injury. Checking in regularly with those employees can help them maintain a positive outlook, ensuring that your company’s most valuable assets are happy, healthy and working at their best.

Source: GTPE Communications
Photo courtesy of flickr/www.microbizmag.co.uk

COVID-19 Vaccines and the Workplace: What Employers Should Know

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From the February 2021 Mercy Occupational Medicine eNewsletter

Many employers are starting to think about their policies regarding the Covid-19 vaccine and how that will affect their employees and work environment. Before settling on your company’s policy, consider the following:

  1. Do you have a plan to ensure you do not violate federal law such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act? Here are a couple of example scenarios that may entitle an employee to exemption from an employer-mandated vaccine:
  • If the employee has a disability that renders the vaccine unsafe for the employee
  • If the employee has sincerely held religious beliefs that prohibit the employee fromreceiving the vaccine
  • If the employee has an underlying medical condition that could endanger the employee if he/she receives the vaccine
  1. The EEOC recommends making COVID-19 vaccines voluntary, or if mandatory, having a third party provider conduct the pre-screening exam. Why?
  • It’s possible that the screening questions related to a vaccination will elicit information that the employer would not need, nor have a right to know, such as disability or genetic information. Employers could run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) if they request more information than they have a right to know. Employers must show that any pre-screening questions are “job related and consistent with business necessity”
  • One potential safeguard: employers who require proof of vaccination can caution employees against providing any sensitive or health information in conjunction with the vaccination proof.
  1. Be prepared. Have a clear plan for the ADA interactive process and reasonable accommodations, should the need arise.
  • An employer may ask for documentation from an employee who requests a reasonable accommodation.
    • An employer is entitled to know that the employee has a covered disability
    • When the disability or the need for accommodation is not known or obvious, further inquiry is permissible
  • What kind of documentation can an employer request?
    • Documentation is sufficient if it:
      • describes the nature, severity, and duration of the employee’s impairment, the activity or activities that the impairment limits, and the extent to which the impairment limits the employee’s ability to perform the activity or activities; and
      • substantiates why the requested reasonable accommodation is needed
  • Employers cannot ask for unrelated documentation.

More information regarding the EEOC’s guidance on Covid-19 vaccinations can be found here or by contacting Jeff Howell/Mercy Occupational Medicine, 828-337-7675 or jhowell@mercyurgentcare.org.

Namaste Productive

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stretches you can do at your desk

From the February 2021 Mercy Occupational Medicine eNewsletter

Let’s face it, we’re all spending lots more time at our desks these days. Sitting at a desk for 8+ hours per day can cause strains of the neck, shoulders and lower back. However, incorporating yoga style stretches can help relieve tension and stress from all that sitting. Here are some yoga style poses to help you release those stresses and minimize strains.

  • Stand up: Standing desks are all the rage for a reason! Not only does your body work slightly harder to stand versus sitting, but it will also keep your shoulders upright, hips looser and core more engaged.
  • Neck rolls: Start with your head at neutral and tip your head to the right or left before circling backward and then returning to neutral. This dynamic movement relaxes and stretches your neck muscles and your cervical spine!
  • Personal massage: You can deepen this stretch by spending a bit of extra time with your head tipped to the right or left. Use your fingers to gently press down (like you’re playing the piano) on your neck.
  • Seated or standing side bend: You can do this in your chair or on your feet! Reach your hands up overhead and grab your left wrist with your right hand and bend to your right, feeling the stretch through the left side of your body. Come back to neutral, switch your hands and bend to your left. Remember to keep your shoulders square. The more you fill your lungs, the better the stretch you’ll feel through your side.
  • Wrist and forearm stretch: Standing up, place both your hands on your desk with your fingertips pointing toward your body and your palms down. Your elbow pits should be pointed away from you. If you want to intensify the stretch, lean backward while keeping your palms flat on the desk.
  • Seated spinal twist: With your hips square in front of you, twist your torso to the left and right looking over your shoulder. You can grab onto your chair for some added pressure.
  • Cat/cow: Throw it back to yoga class! Place your palms face down on the table in front of you. Take a deep breath in as you pull your shoulders down and back, pressing your chest forward between your shoulders. As you breathe out, roll your shoulders forward and round through your upper back.
  • Seated figure 4: Cross your right leg over your left quad and place your ankle just above your knee. Keep your back flat and your shoulders strong as you lean forward, bringing your chest as close to your legs as possible. Come up to neutral and switch sides.
  • Standing pigeon: Another yoga favorite, you can use your desk to get into a standing pigeon pose! Bring one leg up to the desk and make sure your shin is parallel to the front of your desk. Lean forward as much as needed to feel the stretch through your hip. You may feel this in your glute as well and/or the hip flexor of your posted leg.
  • Standing or seated forward fold: This one can be done sitting in your chair or from a standing position. With your feet planted on the floor, bend forward as far as you can, reaching for your toes.
  • IT band stretch (crossing feet): From a standing position, cross one leg over the other and plant it back on the floor. Bend forward the same way you did in the standing forward fold. You should feel this through the outside of your crossed leg.
  • Ankles ABCs or point and flex: While seated, keep your ankles moving by spelling words, writing your ABCs or pointing and flexing your toes!