| EHS Corner: Memorial Day has come and gone; the summer is fast approaching. That means we will see lots of kids on the streets with school out for the summer very soon. Keep an eye out for those little critters running amuck on the city streets. June is National Safety Month and our goal for June is to increase awareness of the leading safety and health risks facing employees and decrease the risk work workplace injuries. I invite everyone to join in on the safety focus needed in June. The more participation we have, I think the safer we will become. Be safe out there in all you do! |
COVID Long Haulers Syndrome
Post-COVID Syndrome Is Real
SARS-CoV-2 can attack the body in a range of ways, causing damage to the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Mental health problems can increase, unresolved pain, fatigue, or from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).
We are only beginning to understand what COVID is doing to the body after infection. The most common lasting symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, and chest pain. Other issues include cognitive problems, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, depression, muscle pain, headache, rapid heartbeat, and intermittent fever.
If you have tested positive for COVID and feel like things just are not the same, you could be experiencing long haulers syndrome. Be safe and slowly reintegrate into the workforce.
Symptoms:
Brain: Fatigue, brain fog, trouble sleeping, mood disorders
Heart: Chest pain, rapid heart rate
Lungs: Trouble breathing, chest pain, cough, shortness of breath
Liver: Organ damage
Pancreas: Organ damage
Ears, Nose, & Throat: Ringing in ears, loss of taste/smell, sore throat
Spleen: Organ damage
GI Tract: Diarrhea, nausea
Kidneys: Organ damage
Musculoskeletal: Muscle & joint pain
If you have tested positive for COVID and feel like things just are not the same, you could be experiencing long haulers syndrome. Be safe and slowly reintegrate into the workforce.
| Mental Distress |
Major Issue Today! · Anxiety Mental distress can significantly impair one’s cognitive function, learning disabilities, and poor work performance. We need to recognize mental health in our work to help identify and intervene for those at risk. The proof we need to act on is in the data: · Mental issues up 19.86% Maybe now you can have a better understanding of what is going on with your teammates and colleagues. Mental distress is nothing to brush off and as we continue to progress through the pandemic, we need to be vigilant in helping employees who need the help. As you go through your day and feel like you just can’t continue, know that there is help available and you can reach out at any time to the Washington State Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511 It’s anonymous and confidential. Please get the help you need to learn how to cope with mental distress & thoughts of suicide. |
| Fatigue/Stress |
| Fatigue & Stress Hand-In-Hand Stress can be defined as the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. It can have mental and physical consequences. At one point or another, most people deal with feelings of stress. A study from 2015 found that 59% of adults reported experiencing high levels of perceived stress. Here are some signs to be on the lookout for: · Insomnia and low energy · Low sex drives · Depression · Adult acne & increased cold sores · Headaches & chronic pain · Frequent sickness and digestive issues Fatigue can be caused by several factors working in combination, such as a medical condition, unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems, and stress. The workplace tends to outrank all of the others combined and doubled! Crazy right? Now, fatigue is sometimes described as tiredness, but it is different from just feeling tired or sleepy. Everyone feels tired at some point. Symptoms: · Chronic tiredness or sleepiness · Headaches or dizziness · Sore/achy muscles · Moodiness & irritability · Slow reflexes & responses Be sure to be on the lookout for stress & fatigue as they are a real killer in the workforce! |
| Substance Abuse |
In a national survey: I don’t know about you, but those are some alarming numbers! Let’s say you’ve noticed some changes in the way an employee is acting. Maybe they’re arriving late or communicating inappropriately with customers. Perhaps you observe unsafe work practices or a drop in productivity or work quality. When you focus on the behavior, the conversation moves from accusations and perceptions to specific performance issues. Have clear policies, procedures, and expectations And use them to evaluate the behavior you are observing. These guidelines will also help you be better prepared to have a focused and productive conversation with your employee. For example: · What are your expectations about timeliness? Make sure your performance expectations have been documented and communicated to your employees before they begin the job. And review them at least once a year. |
Thanks for hanging out today and reading my Weekly Newsletter. If you like this and want to see this as a regular part of the blog, just leave a comment below and we will keep it up! Have a safe day and we will see you in the next issue.
| EHS Corner: Memorial Day has come and gone; the summer is fast approaching. That means we will see lots of kids on the streets with school out for the summer very soon. Keep an eye out for those little critters running amuck on the city streets. June is National Safety Month and our goal for June is to increase awareness of the leading safety and health risks facing employees and decrease the risk work workplace injuries. I invite everyone to join in on the safety focus needed in June. The more participation we have, I think the safer we will become. Be safe out there in all you do! |
COVID Long Haulers Syndrome
Post-COVID Syndrome Is Real
SARS-CoV-2 can attack the body in a range of ways, causing damage to the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Mental health problems can increase, unresolved pain, fatigue, or from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).
We are only beginning to understand what COVID is doing to the body after infection. The most common lasting symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, and chest pain. Other issues include cognitive problems, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, depression, muscle pain, headache, rapid heartbeat, and intermittent fever.
If you have tested positive for COVID and feel like things just are not the same, you could be experiencing long haulers syndrome. Be safe and slowly reintegrate into the workforce.
Symptoms:
Brain: Fatigue, brain fog, trouble sleeping, mood disorders
Heart: Chest pain, rapid heart rate
Lungs: Trouble breathing, chest pain, cough, shortness of breath
Liver: Organ damage
Pancreas: Organ damage
Ears, Nose, & Throat: Ringing in ears, loss of taste/smell, sore throat
Spleen: Organ damage
GI Tract: Diarrhea, nausea
Kidneys: Organ damage
Musculoskeletal: Muscle & joint pain
If you have tested positive for COVID and feel like things just are not the same, you could be experiencing long haulers syndrome. Be safe and slowly reintegrate into the workforce.
| Mental Distress |
Major Issue Today! · Anxiety Mental distress can significantly impair one’s cognitive function, learning disabilities, and poor work performance. We need to recognize mental health in our work to help identify and intervene for those at risk. The proof we need to act on is in the data: · Mental issues up 19.86% Maybe now you can have a better understanding of what is going on with your teammates and colleagues. Mental distress is nothing to brush off and as we continue to progress through the pandemic, we need to be vigilant in helping employees who need the help. As you go through your day and feel like you just can’t continue, know that there is help available and you can reach out at any time to the Washington State Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511 It’s anonymous and confidential. Please get the help you need to learn how to cope with mental distress & thoughts of suicide. |
| Fatigue/Stress |
| Fatigue & Stress Hand-In-Hand Stress can be defined as the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. It can have mental and physical consequences. At one point or another, most people deal with feelings of stress. A study from 2015 found that 59% of adults reported experiencing high levels of perceived stress. Here are some signs to be on the lookout for: · Insomnia and low energy · Low sex drives · Depression · Adult acne & increased cold sores · Headaches & chronic pain · Frequent sickness and digestive issues Fatigue can be caused by several factors working in combination, such as a medical condition, unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems, and stress. The workplace tends to outrank all of the others combined and doubled! Crazy right? Now, fatigue is sometimes described as tiredness, but it is different from just feeling tired or sleepy. Everyone feels tired at some point. Symptoms: · Chronic tiredness or sleepiness · Headaches or dizziness · Sore/achy muscles · Moodiness & irritability · Slow reflexes & responses Be sure to be on the lookout for stress & fatigue as they are a real killer in the workforce! |
| Substance Abuse |
In a national survey: I don’t know about you, but those are some alarming numbers! Let’s say you’ve noticed some changes in the way an employee is acting. Maybe they’re arriving late or communicating inappropriately with customers. Perhaps you observe unsafe work practices or a drop in productivity or work quality. When you focus on the behavior, the conversation moves from accusations and perceptions to specific performance issues. Have clear policies, procedures, and expectations And use them to evaluate the behavior you are observing. These guidelines will also help you be better prepared to have a focused and productive conversation with your employee. For example: · What are your expectations about timeliness? Make sure your performance expectations have been documented and communicated to your employees before they begin the job. And review them at least once a year. |
Thanks for hanging out today and reading my Weekly Newsletter. If you like this and want to see this as a regular part of the blog, just leave a comment below and we will keep it up! Have a safe day and we will see you in the next issue.