 |
 |
A Message From the Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer
The health of Department of Energy employees has been one of the Office of Health, Safety and Security's (HSS) highest priorities since it was established in 2006. Nevertheless, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and remains the single greatest threat to the Department's most important asset - YOU. We all know someone who suffers from heart disease. In the past year, we have lost a number of Department of Energy employees to fatal heart attacks, either at the office or at home. On a more personal level, these employees were also our friends. These tragic losses have prompted us to redouble our efforts to increase awareness among both the Department’s employees and employers about health issues in general and heart disease in particular.
The disability and death associated with heart disease continue to affect our population and our workforce at a rate that is disturbing, particularly when you consider that many of the risk factors associated with heart disease can be effectively reduced if you have the right information and both medical and social support. To this end, we have issued a short brochure that summarizes some of the most important information for easy reference. A more comprehensive heart health report is also available to increase your understanding and awareness of heart disease, and especially the risk factors that we can all influence to improve our continued heart health. We encourage you to share this information with your coworkers, your friends, and especially your family. No matter who you are or what your job is, we want you to know that we value and support your "heart health".
The brochure and report are available on the HSS website at:
http://www.hss.energy.gov/cmo/hearthealth_brochure.pdf
http://www.hss.energy.gov/cmo/hearthealth_report.pdf
If you have any questions about this report or have suggestions as to how HSS can better support the heart health of our workers, please contact Dr. Michael Ardaiz, the Department's Chief Medical Officer, at (202) 586-8758 or at Michael.Ardaiz@hq.doe.gov.
