The EPA's Noise Effects Handbook states that excessive noise can create distraction and mental fatigue that can impair workers' judgment and reduce morale. At certain levels, constant noise pollution can interfere with necessary business communications or even drown out safety alarms. A noisy workplace environment places stress on employees, who must find ways to work around the impediment.

With today being World Asthma Day, it seemed apt to talk about occupational asthma and how it can be caused within the workplace.

What is asthma?

According to Asthma Foundations Australia (AFA) people with asthma have sensitive airways in their lungs and when exposed to certain triggers their airways narrow, making it hard for them to breathe.

Importantly, AFA also states that occupational asthma is the most prevalent occupational lung disease in developed countries, and can be severe and disabling.

Tuesday the 28th of April 2015 is the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Worker’s Memorial Day.

Australia has a large variation in climates from the hot and steamy tropical conditions in the far North to the temperate South. Working in these conditions can sometimes be challenging due to the effects humidity and radiant heat can have on the body.

The risks of working in tropical and arid areas are generally well known and usually controlled. However in Southern areas heat stress is generally given less consideration and therefore usually not as well controlled.

This may seem like a strange statement but the reality is that obesity can result in hearing loss. Being overweight is unhealthy from many points of view but recent studies show that there is also a link between obesity and hearing loss.

I can hear you thinking to yourself ‘How on earth can obesity cause hearing loss?” There are actually 2 ways that obesity can affect your hearing:

Well, did you know that a males life expectancy is nearly 5 years less than females? Or that the rate of suicide for men is 3 ½ times higher than women? Men are also more likely to be overweight than women, even though women naturally store higher levels of fat (women 25-31% body fat, males 18-24% body fat).

The NIOSH Science Blog posted an interesting article on the investigation of high blood lead in a small child. Lead, a known neurotoxin and has a history of neurological effects in exposed children in Australia and internationally. No lead contamination could be found in the house or surrounding garden except the laundry floor. Upon further testing of the family, her father Ted, was found to have elevated blood lead as well. It was determined that Ted typically came home from work at the e-scrap recycling facility with dust in his hair and on his clothes.

With Easter just gone, no doubt it has left feelings of guilt in some who gorged on lots of chocolate! So, what better time is there to discuss the benefits of eating chocolate to remove the aforementioned guilt and justify our binges?! And after some research, we've managed to unravel some pretty some pretty fantastic benefits.

The Australian population is among the most overweight and obese of the developed nations. Whilst you may think this is a personal issue for your workforce, you couldn't be further from the truth. Overweight employees can have a significant impact on workplace health and safety and be a drain on the workers’ compensation system.

Influenza spreads much faster than you might think. Contamination of a single doorknob can lead to the spread of virus throughout an entire office building or hotel in as little as two hours, according to a new study from the University of Arizona.