Workload, fatigue, relationships, sleep and time off farm, are some of the main challenges facing younger farmers today, so it is no surprise that farmers under 35 want to invest more in their wellbeing, new research has found The milestone study, commissioned by rural wellbeing initiative Farmstrong, found that 64% of younger farming men and 77% of women reported that at least one wellbeing issue had a large impact on their life. Continue →

Confused about how to tackle airborne health risks? WorkSafe New Zealand principal scientist work-related health Philippa Gibson offers a simple management model and notes some common errors   The common refrain is that health risk management is hard – harder than safety risk management. Continue →

The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) is calling for New Zealand to make 2019 the year we take workplace stress seriously, and work together to address it. Continue →

The Government’s binding referendum on personal cannabis use at the 2020 general election has sparked speculation around how products could be regulated. Continue →

Kiwi owned and operated vape seller Alt say it had little commercial choice but to launch in recent weeks its advertising campaign targeting Kiwis keen to give up smoking Alt director Ben Pryor says international tobacco companies are set to come into New Zealand with their own vaping and e-cigarette products and will target the young. Continue →

Under the digital billboard headline ‘Cannabis is medicine’ the campaign features eight Kiwis who are a cross-section of patients, advocates, entrepreneurs and parents Behind the promotion is licensed New Zealand-owned cannabis company Helius Therapeutics. Continue →

A ground breaking study of international business travellers found many reported being more engaged with their jobs, but many are also more likely to engage in risky behaviours while away   The Keeping International Business Travellers Happy, Healthy & Engaged at Home and Away whitepaper drafted by the International SOS Foundation, Kingston University and Affinity Health at Work also uncovers the organisational, social and individual factors that support and hinder the psychological health of international business travellers (IBTs). Continue →

Leading physicians say that Australian stonemasons are facing the biggest lung disease crisis since asbestos, due to crystalline silica in popular stone kitchen benches Last month 22 silicosis claims were lodged to WorkCover in Queensland, including six people who have been diagnosed as terminal, leading to state government intervention. Continue →

Workplace health promotion programmes that encourage employees to take responsibility for their own weight may have detrimental effects for employees with obesity, a new study reveals These range from feeling increasingly responsible for their weight but perceiving they have less control over it to increased workplace weight stigma and discrimination. Continue →

A new paper by Royal Society Te Apārangi finds that increasing exposure to artificial blue light is a possible risk for health, wildlife and studying the night sky   Blue Light Aotearoa advises that  there are many things that can be done to protect people and the environment from artificial blue light. Continue →

Leading wellness and technology real estate companies EDGE Technologies and Delos are exploring the integration of their respective platforms and capabilities Together these two industry leaders will investigate and create physical environments (air, water, light, comfort, sound) and inform behavioural choices (nutrition, movement, personal interaction) to improve the performance of people in new and existing commercial buildings. Continue →

Keeping an eye on your personal ultraviolet (UV) exposure throughout the day could soon be as simple as wearing a sticker, thanks to new wearable sensors that help people manage vitamin absorption and avoid sun damage The UV active ink can be printed on paper making sensors cheap and easy to produce. Continue →

The New Zealand construction industry has the highest percentage of suicide for employed men of any industry in this country, research reveals Most of those interviewed as part of a recent BRANZ study, while surprised at the high suicide rate, agreed there was a key driver to the high rates – the poor culture. Continue →

A new study which shows New Zealand has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world confirmed the need to ban sunbeds and make sunscreen standards mandatory, Consumer NZ says Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting Kiwis. Continue →

The provision of managerial support and help for employees with depression is linked to lower rates of workplace absenteeism, finds an international survey study of practice in 15 countries in different regions of the world, published in the online journal BMJ Open The findings bolster the case for active workplace policies on mental health, say the researchers. Continue →

Bay of Plenty businesses are embracing a new way of providing health services to their staff – a mobile Fit For Work clinic Fit For Work, one of the country’s leading providers of occupational health services, has recently launched the clinic which will travel to workplaces. Continue →

Working 45 or more hours in a week is linked to a heightened risk of diabetes in women, finds an observational study published online in the journal BMJ Diabetes Research & Care No such heightened risk was found among women working 30 to 40 hours a week, the findings show, prompting the researchers to suggest that sticking to this total might help curb the risk of the disease. Continue →

Your technology is the culprit – try this one relaxation exercise you can do at your desk Something I write about frequently is productively, specifically as they relate to positive habits. Continue →

If these things are happening at work, try these coping strategies to keep your sanity Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo Much has been written about hiring and developing top performers in the workplace, but less attention has been paid to the effects of toxic workers on their organizations. Continue →

A more physically active commute to work linked to 30% reduced risk of dying from heart disease and stroke People who are more active when commuting to work by walking or cycling could be cutting their relative risk of developing ischaemic heart disease or stroke by 11% and their relative risk of dying from these diseases by 30%, a study published in the journal Heart suggests. Continue →