As part of its focus during May, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an initiative to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for employees. Historically OSHA has approached its mission by focusing on physical hazards in workplaces, things you can see and measure. But in today's work environment, it requires a broader approach that includes both traditional occupational safety and health and paying attention to the huge impact of mental health on workers' well-being as well.

According to data, work-related stress is a significant problem in the United States:

• 83% of workers report suffering from work-related stress.
• Work-related stress has been reported to cause 120,000 deaths each year.
• For every $1 spent on ordinary mental health concerns, employers see a $4 return in productivity.

For more information on OSHA Resources, Programs, and Initiative, go to:  (a) Department of Labor launched an initiative to help employers talk with workers about workplace stress, mental health and substance use; and (b) to see what OSHA and the Georgia Mental Health Alliance are up to by encouraging employers to hold safety stand-downs during May to promote mental health awareness.  [Click on blue highlighted words/phrases for links].