Learn 6 habits to take care of your visual health at work

Learn 6 habits to take care of your visual health at work

This situation demands that you have habits to take care of your visual health that will help you take care of your eyes, avoid work accidents and achieve work with comfort.

Visual hygiene includes that your work environment provides comfort and safety conditions to meet your tasks, as well as maintaining healthy habits protected by the culture of risk prevention that should be promoted from the occupational health area of ​​the company.

Here we share the main habits that help maintain visual well-being in your workplace.

Jobs, especially those in the industry and other high-risk jobs, require the use of eye and face protection. In those cases, the company's occupational health program will indicate and train in the use of these implements to prevent visual and ocular damage according to the type of risk detected as particulate material, traumas, material handling, burns or wounds, manipulation of substances chemical, lighting or non-ionizing radiation.

Having an appropriate amount of light in the focal point of your work is a determining factor for your work performance, avoiding visual fatigue due to over-exertion and accidents at work.

In this sense, the lighting must be distributed evenly, without interruption or intermittences in the supply, as well as in the place there are no marked contrasts between light and dark.

The light should not fall directly on your eyes nor should there be any shadows on the objects you are focusing on. For example, be careful when you write on paper.

Just as poor lighting is harmful, it is also harmful when the amount is excessive, because you can present an over-stimulation of the retina, glare and, at the same time, decrease in the quality of vision.

When you are continually exposed to natural light, your employer must provide you protection measures with ultraviolet radiation and changes in the light intensities of this source.



The effects of continuous solar radiation on your eyes and their functioning can cause you, mainly, long-term conjunctivitis, malformations in the eyelids, alterations in the transparency of the lens (cataract) or degeneration of the cells of the retina with the consequent decrease permanent vision.

When you perform tasks that require your concentration and use of near or intermediate vision for a long time it is healthy to take a break every 20 or 30 minutes that will take you to look away from the task you are doing for 5 minutes and put the focus of attention on something that is several meters away as looking out the window or deep into the workplace.

Staying for a long time in front of the computer screen without moving the vision to other points can lead to our approach is not accommodated and there is a spasm of accommodation that will cause discomfort and can lead to an erroneous diagnosis because it presents the same symptoms of myopia: difficulty with the near vision.

With this short break you help relax the accommodation over your eyes when they focus for a long time in one place. Even if your work requires constant use of the screen, then you can alternate the use of printed material to avoid visual fatigue.

The work on the desk requires that you keep a distance of approximately 45 to 55 cm from the computer screen, which should be at eye level, as well as maintain a correct posture when doing jobs such as reading or writing.

To a large extent, maintaining a proper position depends on the ergonomics of the workplace, specifically, that the height of the chair and desk allow your feet to rest on the floor, the legs are at the knees, your back is straight and shoulders back, without twisting the head or neck.

Working in an environment with high temperatures, above 26 °, leads to your eyes and mucous membranes drying up, producing irritation, redness of the eyes and excess of blinking.

Likewise, very hot environments decrease the bactericidal enzymes and cause you to be exposed to the appearance of conjunctivitis.

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Invest in mental care, good for health and economics

Invest in mental care, good for health and economics

The 2017 Atlas of Mental Health reveals that, despite the advances that many countries have experienced in the planning and development of policies, there is still a shortage of skilled workers and a lack of investment in health services for people with health problems. mental.

Human rights conventions advocate a transition from psychiatric centers to community services and require that those suffering from mental disorders be able to participate in the decisions that affect them. However, only 39% of the members of the World Health Organization have policies in accordance with these ideas.

"The latest edition of the Mental Health Atlas * provides further evidence that mental health resources are not expanding fast enough," said Shekhar Saxena, director of the Organization's Department of Mental Health and Addicted Substance Abuse.

In addition, there is a rate of nine mental health workers per 100,000 inhabitants , with a difference of one specialist over the same population in low-income countries and 72 in high-income countries.

"Not investing in mental health urgently will entail health, social and economic costs on a scale that has rarely been seen," said the representative.

Every dollar invested in treatments for mental problems, such as depression or anxiety, involves a return of four dollars in improvements in health and work capacity. In fact, it has been estimated that the lack of recognition of these conditions and access to care generates losses worth a trillion dollars each year .

The transition of services

The 2013-2020 Mental Health Action Plan seeks to improve ambulatory care in general hospitals instead of prioritizing exclusively psychiatric centers, which are usually associated with poor health outcomes and human rights violations.

Although there is a growing number of general care hospitals with psychiatric care, as well as community residential centers, these institutions are not enough to meet the demand.

For this reason, psychiatric centers, generally independent of the general health system, continue to provide most of the mental care. In fact, these institutions have six times more beds than general care hospitals with psychiatric care.

Financial resources

Poor financing of psychiatric care means that a large part of the world's population can not access this care.

According to the report, governments spend an average of 2.5 dollars per capita on mental health and there is a big difference between low-income, who invest less than a dollar, and high-income, where spending amounts to eighty dollars . In fact, about ten cents per capita are invested in the regions of Africa and Southeast Asia.

In addition, most of the expenditure goes to psychiatric centers, so it only serves a small proportion of the people who require attention.

The document also notes that, in more than a third of countries, care and treatment for people with severe mental disorders are not covered by national health insurance or reimbursement systems .

"No one should be excluded from mental health care because of its cost," Shekhar Saxena said while emphasizing the importance of universal health coverage.

Prevention of suicide

Suicide is one of the priorities in mental health, since, every year, about 800,000 people die from this cause. However, only one third of the countries with medium-high or high income and 10% of those with low-middle or low incomes have prevention strategies.

This means that, since 2014, progress in halting the suicide rate, and thus promoting the goal of sustainable development 3.4, have not been sufficient.

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More active people for a healthier world

More active people for a healthier world

Physical inactivity is a health challenge and involves a significant economic cost. The World Health Organization notes that it is necessary to redouble efforts to reduce sedentary lifestyle and presents for this Plan of global action on physical activity.

In the world, one in three adults and three in four adolescents do not reach the recommended levels of physical activity and, as countries develop economically, inactivity increases due to advances in transportation and technology. In fact, the level of inactivity reaches 70% in some nations .

Staying active is crucial for health

For this reason, the World Health Organization has presented this week the new "WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030: More active people for a healthier world ".

"Staying active is crucial for health. However, in our modern world this is a growing challenge, "said the Director General of the Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We need leaders at all levels to help people take a step towards health. This is possible especially in the cities, where the responsibility of creating healthier spaces is mainly manifested. "

The benefits of sport

Performing regular physical activity is essential to prevent and treat non-communicable diseases , which cause 71% of all annual deaths in the world, including 15 million people aged between 30 and 70 years.

Physical activity is not only a health issue, but also an economic one. It is estimated that its absence produces expenses of about 54,000 million dollars per year , as well as 14,000 million for loss of productivity.

In addition, it is estimated that the most active societies generate other benefits such as reducing the use of fossil fuels, cleaner air and safer roads.

The Action Plan

The document seeks to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030 . Recommends twenty measures to improve environments and opportunities so that people of all ages and abilities spend more time walking or cycling, playing sports or creative leisure, dancing or playing.

"It is not necessary to be a professional athlete to decide to stay active. Going up the stairs, rather than the elevator, is already an important change, or move on foot or by bicycle instead of driving, "said Tedros.

Leaders must help make these options easy

The Plan also urges to support, for example, the training of health professionals, the strengthening of data systems or the use of digital technologies.

WHO also encourages national authorities to make it easier for people to stay physically active and healthy. Among its recommendations, it proposes to the governments that they improve the infrastructures to facilitate that the citizens move on foot or in bicycle instead of being forced to resort to transport of motor.

They also suggest that the population be made aware through outreach campaigns and that leisure activities be organized to encourage physical activity.

"What we choose every day is what can keep us healthy. The leaders should help make these options easy, "he added.

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Paraguay, officially free of malaria

Paraguay, officially free of malaria

 Since 1950, the country has implemented policies and programs to control and eliminate the disease, which in the 1940s affected more than 80,000 people. The last case of malaria was registered in 2011.

The World Health Organization (WHO) certified that Paraguay is officially free of malaria. It is the first country in the Americas to achieve this since Cuba did it in 1973.

"Exemplary achievements like that of Paraguay show what is possible. If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all, "the WHO director general said in a statement.

If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all

From 1950 to 2011, Paraguay systematically developed policies and programs to control and eradicate this disease transmitted by mosquito bites, a major public health challenge for a country that reported more than 80,000 cases of the disease in the 1940s.

As a result of these actions, in Paraguay the last case of malaria was recorded in 2011 . That year, a five-year plan was launched to consolidate the advances, prevent new transmissions and prepare for the certification of the elimination.

In April 2018, the independent WHO malaria elimination certification panel concluded that autochthonous transmission had been interrupted in the South American nation for the required three years and that the country had the capacity to prevent the reestablishment of transmission. .

The experts highlighted the quality and coverage of health services in Paraguay, the awareness of health personnel who provide direct care for malaria, the universal availability of free medical treatment and a robust surveillance system.


For a malaria-free America

The announcement of the official certification will be made today at the second Annual World Forum of Countries that have Eliminated Malaria, convened by the WHO in San Jose, Costa Rica, which will begin today and will last until June 13.

In 2016, WHO identified Paraguay as one of the 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020 .

With the "E-2020 initiative", it is supporting the nations that are redoubling efforts in the activities to become free countries. In the Americas, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico and Suriname participate.

An update on the progress of the work to eliminate the disease in these countries will be published during the forum.

In the region , malaria cases fell by 62% and deaths from malaria decreased by 61% between 2000 and 2015.

However, the increase in malaria cases reported in several countries in 2016 and 2017 indicates that important challenges remain, including the diagnosis, treatment and investigation of cases, particularly in remote areas.

Between 1960 and 1973, the elimination of malaria was certified in seven countries and territories of the Americas: Cuba, Dominica, Granada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and northern Venezuela.

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Some 92 countries do not grant a single day of paternity leave

Some 92 countries do not grant a single day of paternity leave

Studies indicate that the paternal company helps children have better mental health, a high level of self-esteem and feel a greater satisfaction with life. However, UNICEF indicates that two-thirds of children under one year old, nearly ninety million, live in nations where, by law, their parents are not entitled to a paid paternity leave.

Parents play a decisive role in the development of their children, especially during the first two years of life. In fact, the interaction between parents and their children encourages the formation of neuronal connections at an optimal speed, which affect, for example, their ability to learn, reflect and cope with stress.

Despite these benefits, ninety-two countries do not have policies that guarantee parents paternity leave. Among them are India and Nigeria, which present a high rate of child population. Other nations with this characteristic, such as Brazil or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, apply parental losses, but of short duration.

This situation has caused the Fund to sound the alarm, encouraging governments to implement measures that support the early development of children, such as paid parental leave, to provide parents with the time, resources and information that they need. they need .

"The positive and helpful interaction with mothers and fathers from the beginning helps to shape children's growth and brain development for life , making them healthier and happier. It is our responsibility to make them fulfill this role, "said the executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund, Henrietta Fore.

Help parents raise their children

Across the world, policies favorable to family care are experiencing a significant boost.

Since this year, the Fund itself has extended the duration of paternity leave from the four regulatory weeks to sixteen in all its offices.

"We can not be 'For each child' if we are not 'for each parent'. We have to ask more of governments and employers if we are going to give parents the time and resources they need to raise their children, especially during their first years of life, "Fore said.

At the national level, this trend is also observed. In India, for example, the authorities are proposing a law that will allow parents to have up to three months of paid parental leave .

However, the Fund indicates that there is still a lot of work ahead, with eight countries where there is no policy guaranteeing the low paid to fathers or mothers . Among them is the United States, where close to four million children live.

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Agreement to limit the spread of transboundary livestock diseases

Agreement to limit the spread of trans boundary livestock diseases

Five Southeast Asian countries - Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - have signed an agreement with China and FAO to promote safe consumption of meat in their respective countries.

In order to limit the spread of transboundary livestock diseases in Southeast Asia, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has signed on Tuesday the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Project that will provide tools to face the plagues.

Approximately 65 percent of the world's pig population is concentrated in Asia and with an increasing demand for its meat and dairy products, the socioeconomic impact of swine diseases is higher than ever in the region.

The veterinary institutes and animal health authorities of the respective participating countries will work together with Chinese experts and FAO specialists to improve their practices and develop a plan and improve the trade of animals across borders.

The higher the demand, the greater the risk

With the growing demand for meat, fish and other foods in Asia, consumption is expected to continue rising in the coming years. The increase in demand, however, also raises the risks of diseases associated with cross-border trade in livestock.

This requires the implementation of effective controls, for example, for foot-and-mouth disease . In one study, it was estimated that the benefits of a program for its control and eradication in Southeast Asia exceeded 70 million dollars.

Countries in Southeast Asia have similar climatic conditions and socioeconomic factors. These countries continue to report outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases. These diseases and their spread, particularly foot-and-mouth disease, have caused billions of dollars a year in losses for the region.

"There is clearly a need to move forward with more controls in this region, and FAO is very pleased to work with China and the countries of the Mekong region to help control the spread of transboundary animal diseases," said Kundhavi Kadiresan, deputy director of FAO and general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific.

The FAO-China South-South Cooperation Project is funded by the Beijing government and implemented by FAO.

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Chocolate, fish and other foods, safer

Chocolate, fish and other foods, safer

The maximum levels of cadmium in chocolate and mercury in fish, as well as residues of pesticides and antibiotics were defined this week by experts and world leaders meeting in Italy.

New rules to protect the health of consumers were adopted by the international food standards body known as the Codex Alimentarius Commission during its annual session that ended this Friday.

The Commission, established more than 50 years ago by the UN Fund for Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), coordinates the contributions of almost 190 countries and the European Union and seeks to ensure that People can trust the safety and quality of the food they eat.

Hundreds of leaders meet annually for a week to adopt new standards, guidelines, codes of practice and other recommendations that make up the Codex Alimentarius (Latin for Food Code) and address issues such as contaminants, pesticides, health claims and nutrition labeling. The objective is to protect the consumer's health and guarantee fair practices in the food trade.

Representatives from almost 120 countries and 70 organizations attended the meeting this year. Guilherme da Costa of Brazil, who was re-elected as the president of the Commission, asked the delegates to form a consensus to set standards.

"It is essential that we do everything we can to further develop and disseminate Codex standards in order to ensure food safety and quality for everyone everywhere," he said.


Mercury in fish

To reduce exposure to methylmercury, the Commission established limits for several species of fish, ranging from 1.2 to 1.7 mg per kg of fish. This includes no more than 1.2 mg of methylmercury per kg of tuna, 1.5 mg per kg of alfonsino, 1.7 mg per kg of marlin and 1.6 mg per kg of shark.

Mercury can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems of humans, and on the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.

"We are particularly concerned about the pollution of fish to mercury levels in the sea, partly due to natural pollution, that is, mercury was already in the environment and then dissolved in the oceans, and partly also due to industry emissions, "said Tom Heilandt, Secretary of the Commission.

"It can also enter the body, even through the hair, and it may affect the fetus of a pregnant woman, and that can be really bad for the baby," he added.

Cadmium in chocolate

In 2010, the Joint Committee of Experts on Food Additives of FAO established a safe monthly intake of cadmium for humans of 25 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. On the basis of this evaluation, in an effort to reduce exposure, the Commission set limits for cadmium in different types of chocolate of 0.8 or 0.9 mg per kg of chocolate, depending on the cocoa content.

Cocoa beans, which are used in the production of chocolate, can absorb cadmium from soil and water. In some cases, cocoa beans may have high levels of this chemical element, which can be stored in the human body for a long time. Its intake is related to kidney damage.


Lead in food

The Commission reduced the limits for lead in a series of foods: not more than 0.04 mg of lead per kilogram of grape juice or more than 0.08 mg per kilogram for edible fats and oils (eg margarine). As regards mango and salt, the maximum limits of 0.4 and 1 per kilo, respectively.

Lead is a chemical that exists in the environment, even in air and water, and can be absorbed by soil plants. Exposure to high levels of lead is harmful to human health. Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead, which can affect their brain development.

Dioxins

A new code of practice was also adopted to reduce dioxins and similar substances in food and feed.

These chemicals are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment that can enter the food chain and have negative effects on human health. These can accumulate in the tissues of food-producing animals and in fish, and can be found in products such as milk and eggs.

In fact, people are exposed to dioxins and related compounds mainly through the consumption of foods of animal origin, with approximately 90% of the total exposure through fats in fish, meat and dairy products.

The code of practice was updated to include provisions for the management of non-dioxin-like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), after a detailed risk assessment,

The review covers the entire food chain, including good feeding practices. The code is intended for national authorities, farmers, feed and food manufacturers to prevent or reduce contamination by dioxins and PCBs.


Pesticide limits

Maximum residue limits were adopted for more than 26 pesticides in various foods and feeds.

Pesticides are chemicals used to kill insects, weeds and other pests to prevent them from damaging crops. Even when used in accordance with best practices, your waste may end up in the food.

The maximum limits of 26 pesticides are aimed at ensuring that their waste does not harm the health of people and is based on risk assessments.

Maximum limits of antibiotics

The commission also established the maximum limits for antibiotics that are used in food-producing animals. Those of amoxicillin and ampicillin are 50 micrograms per kilo for fish.

The lunefenuron is 1350 micrograms per kilo of trout and salmon and the monepantel for cattle is 7000 micrograms per kilo of fat, 1000 per kidney, 2000 per liver and 300 for the muscle.

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