Why Is This Job Killing Me? [Mass Market Paperback]

John Kachuba (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 13, 1999

Work Smarter, Work Healthier!

What you don't know about your workplace could kill you. What you learn in this book could save your life.

Recognize the silent killers
Create safer workplace environments
Improve your health and your job performance

Did you know that every nine minutes someone is killed by their job? In this groundbreaking book, two experts in the field of occupational safety tell you what's wrong at the workplace, who is at risk, and what you and your employer can do to create a safer working environment. Learn how to protect yourself from the top ten job-related illnesses and injuries--from respiratory disease to cancer, from reproductive disorders to musculoskeletal injuries and trauma. And discover:

four steps to risk assessment in the workplace
the easiest method of reducing exposure to toxic substances
how to recognize "sick building syndrome" and what to do about it
how to prevent back injuries, sprains, strains, inflammations, and dislocations

It's all here in the book that offers real solutions for real problems that affect you on--and off--the job. You'll find practical--and legal--know-how, suggestions for employers, a complete list of occupational health resources with addresses and Web sites, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Work Smarter, Work Healthier!

What you don't know about your workplace could kill you. What you learn in this book could save your life.

Recognize the silent killers
Create safer workplace environments
Improve your health and your job performance

Did you know that every nine minutes someone is killed by their job? In this groundbreaking book, two experts in the field of occupational safety tell you what's wrong at the workplace, who is at risk, and what you and your employer can do to create a safer working environment. Learn how to protect yourself from the top ten job-related illnesses and injuries--from respiratory disease to cancer, from reproductive disorders to musculoskeletal injuries and trauma. And discover:

four steps to risk assessment in the workplace
the easiest method of reducing exposure to toxic substances
how to recognize "sick building syndrome" and what to do about it
how to prevent back injuries, sprains, strains, inflammations, and dislocations

It's all here in the book that offers real solutions for real problems that affect you on--and off--the job. You'll find practical--and legal--know-how, suggestions for employers, a complete list of occupational health resources with addresses and Web sites, and more.

About the Author

The husband and wife team of John Kachuba and Mary Newman together have over twenty-five years of combined professional experience in the field of occupational safety and health. Together they run Healthcare Environments, Inc., an international safety and health consulting company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mary Newman received her doctorate in industrial hygiene. Before founding Healthcare Environments, Inc., she was a commissioned officer in the Public Health Service station with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. She is the author of numerous NIOSH documents.

John Kachuba has worked in the health care industry for over fifteen years. He is a freelance writer and has written for The Health Care Supervisor and the Journal of Healthcare Protection Management, among others.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dell (July 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440234867
• ISBN-13: 978-0440234869
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,917,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the author of "Ghosthunting Ohio," "Ghosthunting Illinois," and "Ghosthunters," as well as three other books unrelated to the paranormal. I am also a Certified Ghost Hunter and have investigated over 100 haunted locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.

My most recent book is "Ghosthunting Ohio: On the Road Again," from Clersiy Press. I teach Creative Writing at Ohio University and humor writing through the Gotham Writers Workshop. To learn more, and to see my author tour schedule, visit my Website at www.JohnKachuba.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable little volume ..., December 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Is This Job Killing Me? (Mass Market Paperback)

In this little paperback, Kachuba and Newman have brought important and potentially life-changing information to a much larger audience. Without sounding reactionary, they have sounded an alarm for a nation whose workers are being exploited (often unintentionally) through unsafe working conditions. This alarm resounds in much the same way that Rachel Carson's classic Silent Spring announced new priorities to an uninformed population in 1962. Clear, well documented research is intermingled with anecdotal evidence that something is indeed terribly wrong with the standard practices of American industry. Whether a reader is in white collar management, blue collar assembly or even seeking employment on the ground level, there is information here that should inform your work choices, and the choices of those employers who are concerned about maintaining a healthy and productive work force. Newman and Kachuba have done their homework, and in doing so help protect all of us.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opening, July 4, 2000

By 

Janet Parks Chahrour - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Is This Job Killing Me? (Mass Market Paperback)

Mary Newman and John Kachuba have made the subject of workplace health and safety interesting and accessible in their book Why Is This Job Killing Me? They present ten categories of workplace dangers, each introduced with a story of a person who experiences an injury or illness. Twenty year-old Dennis wrenches his back believing he didn't need the back-support belts supplied by his employer. Karen has successive miscarriages due to chemical exposure. Fifty-six year old Mike dies of carbon monoxide poisoning working with machinery in a confined space. Shirley gradually suffers hearing loss, diminishing her job-effectiveness. Conditions increasing the risk of accidents, cancer, nervous system disorders, respiratory problems, and stress are all examined and supported with recent research. Occupational health and safety guidelines and regulations are cited. The effect of reading the book is an increased awareness of potential problems and a realization that each person can have an impact on the safety of his or her work environment. For employers, it serves the same purpose, with clarification of the lines of responsibility. The book is definitely not anti-employer or inflammatory in any way. It encourages employees to follow the proper chains within the workplace if a hazard is discovered, but also gives specific information on how to follow up if an employer does not respond. I like the level tone the authors take, noting that while some workplace hazards are a result of intentional rejection of known safe practices by unscrupulous employers, the vast majority of employers want a safe environment for their workers. The book ends with a chapter on how to get help with workplace issues. Each chapter has a list of references and a thorough index is found the back.

Why Is This Book Killing Me? is appropriate for a wide range of readers, from those who want general information on workplace health issues to those interested in the specifics of health regulations and medical risks. It is fully grounded in science, yet compellingly readable.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Outlandish claims past and present, June 19, 2000

By 

James E Prokop - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Is This Job Killing Me? (Mass Market Paperback)

As an educated person,and a white collar professional, I have never read such a one sided political rant as Why Is This Job Killing Me? This little book is loaded with discontent for the Capitalist system as well as distain for the intelligence of the American worker. We are ALL victims of greedy employers who have no regard for anything but profit. Specifically, cost benefit analysis is ridiculed (even thoughit is nearly universally accepted) as nothing more than a ruse to kill the innocent. Please! Criminal,yes,criminal liability is advocted for redress of workplace injuries! Please! Who in their right mind would want to become a business owner with criminal libility around every corner? And,last but not least,it is stated unequivically that we all must even quit drinking alcohol to be safe and healthy! None of this this based on any science but rather the political agenda (left and totalitarian) of the authors. I would have been better off donating the $6.50 to charity rather than giving it to these idiots. My copy is now in the dumpster at SEA/TAC airport where it belongs.