If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
In theory, yes, but it’s not very likely. Just like certain bacteria can become drug resistant, it is possible for microbes to develop resistance to chemical disinfectants, but it usually requires improper use of the disinfectant for that to happen. Acquired resistance happens when something (a drug, a chemical) kills most of the microbe population, but the ones that survive then reproduce unchecked, and become harder to kill. With chemical disinfectants, though, we have two key things going for us:
It’s important to make sure we’re using disinfectants properly. Before you use disinfectant, make sure it’s:
And as always, make sure your staff is aware of any chemical interactions, has proper ventilation, and has access to proper PPE like gloves or eye protection.
Sources: Weill Cornell, NIH, Nature
We hear this one all the time from some employees who don’t want to talk about their symptoms when calling out sick. But if you work in any food service setting, the US Food Code takes precedence, and encourages managers and employees to have conversations about foodborne illness. Usually, these employees misunderstand HIPAA (and in some cases the ADA, as well) and forget about the US Food Code.
HIPAA sets privacy standards for protected health information, which only applies to certain healthcare settings, not workplace conversations. It could prevent a doctor from sharing a diagnosis directly with an employee’s manager, but it doesn’t prevent a manager from asking employees about their potential foodborne illness symptoms or diagnoses.
Likewise, we sometimes hear employees complain about an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violation, but most foodborne illnesses are short-term and not considered disabilities under ADA.
Instead, employers need to follow the US Food Code, which explicitly requires that employees report possible symptoms of foodborne illness to their managers, and allows questions about relevant symptoms or diagnoses that could spread via food.
And listen, we get it - nobody wants to talk to their boss about their poop. But people die from foodborne illness in the U.S. every year, so in foodservice, those uncomfortable conversations can literally be life or death. Having open conversations about your symptoms and making sure that nobody works sick can help keep your team and community safe.
Source: CDC
America’s growing dental health crisis isn’t just a public health concern—it’s a workplace issue. For employers, poor oral health among workers can lead to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and higher health-related turnover.