NY Launches Support for Retail Worker Safety

The New York State Department of Labor has launched its guidance website for the state’s new Retail Worker Safety Act, which went into effect on June 2.
The website provides a model policy and training that employers can use as a starting point to create their own policy and store-specific information, such as worksite emergency exits, meeting locations in an emergency, and instructions regarding emergency and security-related devices utilized in the workplace.
The guidance also dictates that training take place during paid work time.
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A new study published on the JAMA Network suggests that workers’ industry and occupation are associated with both positive and negative mental health outcomes,
Work-related hazards and stress have been shown to be associated with mental health, with suicide rates among adult workers increasing since 2000.
The study reported that there is evidence that psychosocial hazards at work, including work overload, shift work, long hours, lack of control over workload, social or physical isolation, poor communication, harassment, and interpersonal conflict are linked to workers’ poor mental health.
Work-related injuries and illnesses may also adversely affect mental health.
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Researchers at Colorado University Boulder’s Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA) have reported that while current safety systems have effectively reduced minor worker injuries over the past decade, the rate of serious injuries and fatalities has remained stagnant.
“This means that current safety systems are not as effective in reducing serious injuries and fatalities, a major issue for the industry,” said Elif Oguz Erkal, CSRA’s associate director of research and strategy.
CSRA is a nonprofit research organization established in 2018, bringing together industry leaders and academic experts to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities in the construction industry.
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