Sometimes bullying can be missed by observers, but it's no less painful when the aggression is recognized only by the targeted victim who understands the context. Would you recognize someone else's victimization? As a coworker you may miss or overlook these acts, which can be as subtle as an aggressive sigh, the clearing of a throat, an uncomfortable silence, or a subtle movement designed to communicate disapproval or disdain. Because bullying victims often suffer in silence, coworkers can be…

Name-calling and being shouted at for a simple request are examples of verbal abuse. However, not all verbal abuse is easy to spot despite its damaging impact. Recognizing verbal abuse and learning a different response are ways to empowerment, confrontation, and change. Three examples of verbal abuse may people overlook include: 1) abuse disguised as a joke (a joke meant to be funny but that makes you feel put down and victimized); 2) "whack-a-mole" (every time you speak, you are cut off so…

Whether you're heading to the beach or the sunny heights, protect your skin from sun damage and the risk of skin cancer. The American Cancer Association recommends a minimum of SPF 30 to protect against UVA and UVB radiation. UVA contributes to dark patches, lose skin, premature aging, and DNA damage. UVB causes eye problems, sunburn, and also DNA damage; it is the DNA damage that causes skin cancer, the most dangerous of which is melanoma. A total of 3.5 million cases of non-melanoma skin…

Sleepy drivers with less than four hours of sleep are 11 times more likely to experience a car crash than drivers with 7 hours of sleep the night before. Twenty-one percent of all fatal highway crashes involve drowsy drivers. Drowsy driving reduces alertness and attention the same way as being drunk or texting does. Know the signs of drowsy driving. These include lane swerving, falling asleep while stopped in traffic or at a traffic light, sudden braking (when the driver realizes he/she has…

A computer virus is a program that can replicate itself and infect a computer. However, there are other types of harmful computer code to avoid. One is called "rootkit." A rootkit is not a virus; it is "malware." You an unwittingly transfer a rootkit to your computer when you land on an "attack" Web site while surfing the Internet. A rootkit hides inside critical files you can't delete without making your computer become nonfunctional. The rootkit then permits third-party criminals to steal…

"Situational awareness" is a skill learned in professions in law enforcement and the military, or in activities like riding a bike. When you are "situation aware," you consciously pay attention to what is happening in your immediate vicinity in order to more quickly spot threats to your safety. This helps you respond sooner. Situational awareness can protect you from becoming a victim of a crime. Leaving your workplace alone at night or walking in an isolated parking lot are examples of where…

Are you living near a methamphetamine lab but don't know it? Each year, thousands of children are exposed to the hazardous chemicals carelessly mishandled by brewers of this addictive, psychoactive substance. Illegal and highly explosive methamphetamine labs have grown in number, with more than 11,000 seized in 2012. In the past decade, their numbers doubled within just a two-year period. The behavior of individuals or the ramshackle looks of a suspicious location might give cause for concern,…

It's every leader's responsibility to maintain as safe an environment as possible for the workforce. While incidents of workplace violence are rare, they can happen at any time -- and they are the most destructive events that impact the workplace. By recognizing the warning signs of potential violence, and knowing what to do if you observe them, you'll have a better chance of helping your employee and keeping your team members safe from harm. 

A first step is to understand what workplace…

Emergency rooms treated 251, 800 toy related injuries in 2015, and 44 percent of these injuries were to the head and face area. Nearly 85,000 injuries involved children under the age of five. Reduce risk of injury by avoiding toys that shoot or have parts that fly off. Consider not only whether a toy is right for a child's age prior to purchase, but also whether there is a risk of injury if a smaller child get his or her hands on it. Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes,…