The arrival of the fast-spreading Omicron variant has prompted health officials worldwide to urge booster shots for all “If we can’t get our vaccination rate up, we’re basically waiting for everyone who still has no immunity to Covid to get infected instead,” Atlantic science and health reporter Sarah Zhang says. Continue →

New Otago University research reveals that New Zealand’s construction workers are more than two times more likely to die by suicide than the rest of the workforce, but one group has achieved global recognition in trying to turn things around While construction workers make up about 9.5% of all workers, the study found that between 17.3% (2010/11) and 29.7% (2018/2019) of those who died by suicide in New Zealand were employed in the sector. Continue →

New Zealand’s construction workplaces rate just 55 out of 100 in a new wellbeing study by Skills Consulting Group According to the Skills Consulting Group Work Wellbeing Index, which surveyed nearly 1500 Kiwi workers, New Zealand has an overall work wellbeing score of 62 out of 100, with construction coming in at 55. Continue →

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is a personal choice, but if you want to support your employees to make informed decisions, make sure they know the facts, MBIE says Not everything online is factual and accurate. Continue →

An industry study conducted by Site Safe and Massey University has investigated the negative effects of work-related stress on productivity, and the physical and emotional health of construction workers in New Zealand The paper highlights several critical factors that create undue stress among construction workers. Continue →

The Ministry of Health states vaping products have the potential to improve public health despite lack of evidence on long term effects E-cigarettes made their debut in the early 2000s as a potential cessation device or an alternative to cigarette products. Continue →

The Government will reform New Zealand’s entire health system and scrap DHBs, but experts question whether these changes will properly address the issues in our healthcare industry More than eight decades of health reform have failed, and the current landscape of public and private healthcare interests is unstable, say New Zealand researchers Murray Horn and Des Gorman. Continue →

Night owls may be twice as likely to underperform at work and additionally run a heightened risk of early retirement due to disability, a new study finds The early bird does indeed seem to get the worm, as morning people tend to go to bed early enough to get the recommended amount of sleep on standard working days, finds research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Continue →

New Zealand workers in the industrial and trades sectors are hesitant to take sick leave, with around two out of five workers (38 percent) saying it is unlikely that they would take sick leave if they felt ill, a report from OneStaff reveals The What’s My Rate? Continue →

As the world pins its hopes on Pfizer’s announcement this week of an effective vaccine, Macquarie University researchers have unveiled a strategy addressing the question of who should be vaccinated first With thousands of scientists around the world racing to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, policy makers may need to decide who is at the front of the vaccination queue if initial supplies are limited. Continue →

Revelations that cigarette sales are falling faster than ever, with vaping a major factor, is again raising concerns that the Government’s move to restrict vaping flavours and potentially cap nicotine levels in vaping products will only slow such success The End Smoking NZ charity has analysed tobacco company returns published by the Ministry of Health, showing 2,132 million cigarettes were sold last year in New Zealand – 410 million fewer than just two years ago. Continue →

When work-related stress starts to become chronic, it can become harmful to both your physical and mental well being, which can impact your overall performance No matter how much you enjoy your work, everyone has experienced stress in their job at some point. Continue →

A global survey has found that most workers would continue to work when sick with flu-like symptoms, a move that could have dire consequences in the current pandemic The Australian and international research surveyed over 500 workers, around half of which were healthcare workers. Continue →

Given the extraordinary circumstances that Covid-19 presents, it is admirable the Ministry of Health has forged ahead with the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme, which came into effect as planned on 1 April, says Helius Therapeutics Chief Executive Paul Manning Since the final regulations were announced late last year, the Ministry has been working closely with the country’s newest industry. Continue →

Unfortunately, there’s not a guaranteed way to completely avoid contracting a virus such as COVID-19, but by keeping a clean workplace and utilising tools such as chemical dispensers, you can significantly reduce the risk Wherever people go, germs follow. Continue →

The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted occupiers to accelerate the implementation of wellness measures in their workplaces while introducing additional hygiene and health-related steps, CBRE Global Research reports Tens of millions of employees in Asia Pacific have been advised – and in some cases ordered – to work from home due to health and safety concerns. Continue →