NIOSH Total Worker Health® Affiliate Program
Updated January 19, 2024
The mission of the NIOSH Total Worker Health (TWH) Affiliate Program is to advance worker safety, health, and well-being through non-funded collaborations with governmental and nonprofit organizations, including labor, education, training, and research organizations. The goal of the NIOSH TWH Affiliate Program is to:
- Increase the visibility, adoption, and impact of TWH approaches to advance the safety, health, and well-being of workers through NIOSH assistance to Affiliates.
- Attract and assist new collaborators to enrich and broaden TWH research and communication activities.
- Collaborate to enrich and broaden TWH practice and outreach efforts.
- Publicly recognize the contributions of the Affiliate organizations to the development of TWH research and practice.
Below are examples of collaborative activities conducted between NIOSH and TWH Affiliates:
- engage in joint research
- develop TWH programs and interventions,
- collaborate on seminars, meetings, trainings, and educational events
- create and disseminate publications and other communication products
- cross-promote individual and joint activities
Potential Affiliates include:
- nonprofit institutions conducting TWH-related research, education, or training activities
- labor organizations
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
- nonprofit employer organizations
- nonprofit professional or membership associations engaged in worker safety, health, or well-being
Organizations interested in becoming Affiliates should disclose any existing or potential occupational safety and health issues which may create an appearance of misalignment with TWH principles. This includes investigations or citations by federal, state, or local health, environment, and labor agencies and violations of occupational safety and health regulations or laws. Please note that organizations awarded Affiliate status are not provided with any funding. There are also no fees associated with Affiliate status.
Organizations interested in becoming an Affiliate first discuss shared goals and plan possible joint activities with NIOSH representatives. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or similar document formalizes the Affiliate arrangement. While being an Affiliate is not a requirement to conduct join activities with the NIOSH TWH program, Affiliate status demonstrates a long-term commitment to shared values and goals. Participation in the program is voluntary, and the relationship can be discontinued at any time by NIOSH or the Affiliate. Affiliates discuss renewal and continuation of Affiliate status with NIOSH on an annual basis.
Organizations interested in advancing worker safety, health, and well-being by becoming a NIOSH TWH Affiliate may contact us at twh@cdc.gov.
Current NIOSH TWH Affiliates
Agrisafe: AgriSafe is a national, nonprofit organization representing health and safety professionals who strive to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community. Educational services are also provided for agricultural businesses and those involved directly in agricultural production. It is Agrisafe’s belief that many agricultural injuries, diseases, and fatalities can be prevented through the delivery of appropriate agricultural occupational health services.
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN): AAOHN is a 5,000-member professional organization whose vision is that work and workplace community environments will be healthy and safe. It is dedicated to advancing the health, safety, and productivity of domestic and global workforce by providing education, research, public policy, and practice resources for occupational and environmental health nurses.
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): ACOEM is the nation’s largest medical society dedicated to promoting the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, research, and education. Founded in 1916, ACOEM is a physician-led organization that represents more than 4,000 physicians and other health care professionals who specialize in the field of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM). These dedicated and dynamic health care professionals are united via the College to develop and support positions and policies on vital issues relevant to the practice of OEM, this includes being a strong advocate of TWH policies, programs, and practices since the TWH program launched in 2011.
American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM): Founded in 1954, ACPM is the leader for the specialty of Preventive Medicine and physicians dedicated to prevention. Uniquely trained in both clinical medicine and public health, preventive medicine specialists are equipped to understand and reduce the risks of disease, disability, and death in individuals and in population groups. Utilizing a multi-pronged strategy, ACPM will disseminate the NIOSH Total Worker Health resources and programs to our membership (which include our 26 residency programs) and coalition partners.
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): AIHA, founded in 1939, is the premier association of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA’s 8500+ members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government, and academia.
American Physical Therapy Association (APTA): APTA represents 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy dedicated to building a community that advances the physical therapy profession to improve the health of society nationwide. As experts in rehabilitation physical therapists and physical therapist assistants play a unique role in prevention, wellness, fitness, health promotion, and management of disease and disability for individuals across the age span. Helping individuals improve overall health and prevent the need for avoidable health care services, physical therapists’ and physical therapist assistants’ roles include education, direct intervention, and collaborative consultation. To promote these principles, APTA’s Orthopedic Academy, Special Interest Group for Occupational Health will partner with the TWH program to elevate programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness-prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. Learn more about facilitating therapy services for TWH.
Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP): The AOHP in Healthcare is the only national association dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of healthcare workers. Occupational health professionals have a responsibility to advocate for all aspects of an employee’s health including organizational policies that help to recognize occupational hazards and advocate for new and safe technologies to mitigate these hazards. AOHP will disseminate Total Worker Health materials and resources to its membership, share best practices and collaborate on mutual topics of healthcare health and safety.
American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP): For more than 100 years, ASSP has supported occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in their efforts to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. We provide education, advocacy, standards development and a professional community to help our members implement sound safety practices that are both socially responsible and good business, and that enable their organizations to improve overall performance, deliver higher employee engagement and satisfaction, and enhance their reputation. We believe Total Work Health is a next-generation approach to worker safety and health and encourage our members to continuously develop knowledge, skills and abilities in this area so they can more holistically address work-related environmental and organizational factors that affect workers’ health and well-being.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. To accomplish its mission, CDC conducts critical science, provides health information, and responds when threats arise. CDC supports and actively engages with its own National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH)Total Worker Health program. Multiple offices and divisions within CDC contribute to the safety, health, and well-being of CDC workers through a variety of programs, policies, and initiatives. Creating and maintaining a culture of worker safety, health, and well-being in a sustainable working environment serves to enhance CDC’s ability to perform its mission.
Center for Intelligent Environments (CENTIENTS): The mission of CENTIENTS at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering is to facilitate a broad, far-reaching conversation and research about how to design, introduce, and oversee user-centered solutions in ways that make built environments not only more supportive of personal and organizational goals but also safer, healthier, more humane, and capable of producing joy and well-being in the humans that use them. CENTIENTS supports cutting-edge research and brings together scholars, innovators and leaders to tackle some of the most challenging questions brought about by the fast pace of technology implementation, including how intelligent environments should shape the future of work while supporting worker health, well-being and productivity.
Center for Social Epidemiology (CSE):The CSE is a private, non-profit foundation (501c.3) established in 1988, whose purpose is to promote public awareness of the role of work organization and psychosocial work stress (occupational stress) in the etiology of chronic illness, including psychological disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Center for Social Epidemiology, for 30 years now, has translated primary sources of relevant information on work stress research for the public as well as facilitated communication among occupational health researchers interested in the relationship between the work environment, the individual, and health. The CSE activities include collaborating on occupational health research projects with the University of California, Irvine, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, presenting at major scientific conferences, and writing scientific articles, books (e.g., Unhealthy Work: Causes, Consequences, Cures, Baywood, 2009), book chapters, and news articles, as well as maintaining the website unhealthywork.org. In 2016, the CSE began developing a documentary video Working on Empty, and has more recently initiated the Healthy Work Campaign, a national public health campaign dedicated to reducing work stressors and improving job quality with the goals of educating, assessing, equipping and inspiring action from individuals, organizations and all healthy work stakeholders.
City of Eugene, OR: Home to more than 167,000 people, Eugene is one of Oregon’s largest cities and serves as an employment hub for the region. The City of Eugene is committed to supporting the health and livability of the entire community, including those who live and work in Eugene. As part of the commitment, the City promotes Total Worker Health, aimed at enhancing worker well-being on-and-off-the-job. The City of Eugene sponsors a variety of well-being focused initiatives and is consistently recognized as one of the top Healthiest Oregon employers. City staff are consistently envisioning and implementing innovative ways to promote well-being on-and-off-the-job. While on-the-job, staff contribute to an award-winning, wellness-focused organization. After hours, staff maximize all the region has to offer–from outdoor activities to art and cultural experiences. This holistic approach to on-and-off-the-job wellness enriches a thriving community.
City of Plano, TX: Plano is the 9th largest city in Texas with a population of 279,088. In 2016, the City was named the 3rd “Best Place to Live in America” by Money Magazine. J.C Penney, Pizza Hut, Frito-Lay and Toyota Motor North America are all headquartered in Plano. Plano was recently named as one of the “Safest Cities in America” and “Best Run Cities in America” by Law Street Media and 24/7 Wall Street. The City of Plano is committed to supporting the health, safety, and livability of the entire community, including those who live and work in Plano. As part of the commitment, the City promotes Total Worker Health that supports the vision of enhancing worker well-being both at work and home. The City of Plano is committed in cultivating a culture that promotes well-being through healthy habits, safe working environments and lifestyle behaviors that enhance the quality of life for our employees and their families. To the City of Plano, we are proud to support the idea that safety and wellness is a way of life.
Dartmouth–Hitchcock: Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s vision is to achieve the healthiest population possible, leading the transformation of health care in the Northeast U.S. region and setting the standard for our nation. In the eyes of Dartmouth-Hitchcock leadership, achieving the healthiest population possible starts with the organization’s own workforce. Live Well/Work Well’s mission is to improve and maintain the health and well-being of Dartmouth-Hitchcock employees and their families by creating a supportive culture which provides access to resources and services that motivate, encourage and promote healthy lifestyles and foster resilience. Dartmouth-Hitchcock links employee safety with employee health and well-being and fosters an organizational culture in which all employees are responsible for creating a safer and healthier work environment.
The Department of Homeland Security has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the hard work of more than 260,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, and our goal is clear – keeping America safe. As the complex threat environment continues to evolve and loom, the Department will embody the relentless resilience of the American people to ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous Homeland. DHS seeks to further strengthen our workforce by becoming a TWH Affiliate to enhance our ongoing program improvements utilizing evidenced-based strategies to support and integrate our worker health, safety, well-being, and organizational wellness. We are committed to developing a sustainable culture across our many DHS components that promotes, protects and advances employee safety, health, and well-being.
Eastern Kentucky University: The EKU Center for Total Worker Health is a collaborative effort between the Departments of Environmental Health Science, Safety and Security,and Health Promotion and Administration. The center is committed to promoting and improving the health and safety of the citizens of the EKU service region, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond through graduate level education, continuing education, and applied research.
Eskenazi Health: Eskenazi Health cares for Central Indiana residents and strives to create an environment of safety and well-being that ensures employees and patients thrive. Team members work hard to create programs, policies, and procedures that maximize self-care and minimize risk of illness and injury on the job. Employees are encouraged to keep self-care a top priority through active engagement in physical fitness offerings, healthy dining options, lifestyle management programs, stress reduction, worksite safety, and injury prevention programming. Eskenazi Health is committed to taking excellent care of patients and improving the health and vitality of the community – starting with its own employees.
Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB): Founded in 1911, EWEB is Oregon’s largest public utility and includes multiple generation facilities on the McKenzie River. EWEB is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity and water to its broad commercial and residential customer base. EWEB’s 500 employees serve approximately 200,000 customers within a 236 square mile service territory. Safety, Health and Wellness are embedded in their culture. From the top of the organization throughout the utility, they are invested in robust programs that encourage the safety, health, and wellness of their employees as well as their community.
Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation: The Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation is a global organization consisting of two nonprofit scientific institutions located in Milan and New York. The foundation has a rich history of translating evidence-based knowledge and is committed to promoting a proactive model of wellbeing and disease prevention for the betterment of individuals and society as a whole. For more than five decades the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation has been actively involved in developing and implementing congresses, workshops, courses, scientific, political and economic panels, publications and position papers; educational campaigns on public health both at national and international levels. Their goal is to shift from the reactive healthcare approach of the past to a proactive approach in the 21st century and beyond. By fostering integrated wellness, they aim to empower individuals, medical and scientific communities, government institutions, and society at large with improved health literacy.
HealthPartners Institute: The HealthPartners Institute provides an integrated approach to research and education, embedded within an organization that includes hospitals, medical and dental clinics, and a health plan. This creates opportunities to make discoveries, generate evidence and knowledge, and translate such learnings into scalable, sustainable, practical solutions. The Institute conducts over 450 research studies each year, supports almost 600 medical residents, and involves a team of 340 employees. HealthPartners Institute has supported the concept of Total Worker Health from its inception and has a partnership with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Work, Health, and Well-Being, a NIOSH Center of Excellence for TWH. Internal to the organization, HealthPartners Institute collaborates to pursue development and innovation in an integrated approach to safety, health, and well-being. This collaboration includes efforts related to development of new tools, design and testing of clinical decision support tools, and professional training across disciplines.
Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces: The Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces (“HealthyWorkplaces” or “Center”) based in University of California, Berkeley, has set its mission to become a global resource for businesses, professional firms, labor unions, employees, and the public in understanding how to create healthy workplaces, as well as a locus of innovation in the design and implementation of work and workplace changes based on integrated science. The Center’s goal is to identify and integrate key scientific findings associated with employee health and well-being across disciplines in order to understand how we might build a new organizational template that will promote employee health and well-being.
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB): The IBB has developed Boilermaker Total Health (BtH) – a strategy integrating occupational health and safety protection with illness and injury prevention to further improve Boilermaker health and quality of life. The BtH program has three components: 1. HealthBenchmark – designed to set meaningful standards for functional abilities and medical assessment for pre-apprentices entering the trade. 2. HealthArc – member health education, training and awareness; and 3. Occupational Health – designed to identify and develop occupational health best practices to protect member health on the job.
ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association: As the leading trade association for the cleaning industry worldwide, ISSA is committed to helping its members change the way the world views cleaning. ISSA promotes the vision that cleaning is an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. ISSA members supply cleaning products and services to institutional, industrial, and commercial facilities that enhance the quality of the indoor environment for the benefit of workers and other occupants. ISSA serves as a resource for knowledge and standards regarding professional business practices and making the scientific connection between cleaning and health.
Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC): The mission of KIPRC as a NIOSH TWH Affiliate is to join worker safety and health with community safety and health through collaborations with public and not-for-profit organizations. KIPRC envisions TWH in Kentucky as a holistic and empowering strategy to meld worker well-being with injury and illness prevention in local businesses and communities. Within KIPRC, a number of programs and activities support the TWH mission, such as the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control-funded state violence and injury prevention program, Kentucky Safety and Prevention Alignment Network (KSPAN), NIOSH-funded Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation and Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance programs, National Safety Council-funded Safe Communities Kentucky program, and the Kentucky Department for Public Health-funded Community Injury Prevention Program.
Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA): LHSFNA, a joint labor-management Trust Fund, was founded by the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), a union representing over 500,000 working men and women in a variety of occupations throughout the United States and Canada, and its signatory contractors. The LHSFNA conducts research, develops policy, provides technical support, and disseminates information to LIUNA members, health and welfare funds, and LIUNA’s signatory contractors. Besides focusing on safety on job sites, LHSFNA is working to develop programs to prevent occupational exposures that can lead to chronic health conditions later in life, raising awareness to limit exposures that happen both on and off the job, and addressing special concerns of multi-employer and short-term employment industries such as construction.
Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP): LOHP, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, educates and empowers workers and communities to take an active role in making workplaces safe, healthy, dignified, and just. LOHP is committed to serving the needs of workers and communities most at risk, including low wage workers, immigrant workers, youth, workers with disabilities, and communities of color. LOHP provides training and education, conducts participatory research, and consults on the development of workplace health and safety standards, programs and policies. The program has also launched the Healthy Jobs Initiative, which creates a broader, more holistic, and comprehensive approach to worker health and safety issues and highlights the contribution of work to overall well-being and health.
Madison County Department of Health (MCDOH): Located in the geographic center of New York State, the MCDOH provides public health services and programs to its 73,000 residents. MCDOH’s mission is to protect and enhance the health of the community in all aspects of life, including where people live, play, and work. The TWH program is foundational to MCDOH’s Healthy Workforce Initiative.
Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH): MassCOSH strives to ensure that all workers earn their living and return home alive and well. MassCOSH unites workers, unions and community groups with environmental and health activists, to end dangerous work conditions, to organize for safe, secure jobs, and to advocate for healthy communities. Through training, technical assistance and building community/labor alliances, MassCOSH mobilizes its members and develops leaders in the movement to end unsafe work conditions.
Mental Health America: Founded in 1909 by Clifford W. Beers, Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all. MHA’s programs and initiatives fulfill its mission of promoting mental health and preventing mental illness through advocacy, education, research and services. MHA’s workplace initiatives includes research that explores the impact of workplace policies and practices on employee mental health and identifies effective evidenced-based interventions that support employee well-being. In addition, MHA creates transformational change in workplaces through collaborations with small and large businesses, public education, research dissemination, and strategic public policy change.
Miami Occupational Research Group (MORG):Established in 2003, MORG at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine focuses on conducting cutting edge research on the impact of organizational- and worker-level factors that impact the health and safety of U.S. workers over their working life course, particularly minority worker populations. Since its inception, the MORG has evolved and grown to include a transdisciplinary team of occupational health and safety researchers and practitioners focused at preventing and controlling disease and enhancing safety at the jobsite. The MORG conducts national and state-level epidemiologic surveillance, and supports the design and implementation of workplace interventions, evaluation of research 2 practice solutions and provides health and safety education to worker groups. The MORG partners with community stakeholders, local and state government agencies, worker unions, professional safety organizations to share and disseminate research findings through strategic partnerships with worker groups throughout the State of Florida. The MORG’s educational and research work focused on worker safety and health and health promotion, especially among racial/ethnic minority workers that has been featured in both Spanish and English news media at the local, state and national level. The NIOSH TWH program is foundational to MCDOH’s Healthy Workforce Initiative.
Mount Sinai Health System: The Mount Sinai Health System explores strategies that advance the safety, health, and well-being of its 36,000 employees. As TWH Clinical Centers of Excellence, the Mount Sinai Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health, the health care delivery cores for the Department of Preventive Medicine within the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will offer prevention services to patients and collaborate with employers and organizations to develop comprehensive workplace health and safety programs. The Department of Preventive Medicine will spearhead research initiatives to evaluate the effectiveness of TWH interventions and train future health care professionals on integrated TWH strategies in general preventive medicine and occupational and environmental medicine through its residency training programs.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): In 2005, NASA was recognized in an Institute of Medicine report, Integrating Employee Health: A Model Program for NASA, for “being forward-looking in designing programs aimed at improving the health and wellness of its employees.” NASA has proactively taken steps to bring together its diversity of occupational health, environmental health, workers compensation, wellness, and employee assistance programs to integrate occupational safety and health protection with other policies and programs that prevent illness and injury.
The National Association of Worksite Health Centers (NAWHC): The NAWHC is a 501C3, non-profit organization, focused on assisting public and private employers, unions and other health plan sponsors in learning about, planning and obtaining the greatest return from their onsite, near-site, shared, mobile and virtual health centers, pharmacies, worksite fitness and wellness centers. NAWHC’s mission is to become the premier source of education, information, networking and resources on worksite health centers. NAWHC supports employers and others who wish to integrate or develop worksite clinics into their health care and benefit strategies to serve as the hub of all health care data, health benefit and wellness programs and resources to enable them to manage their population’s health and safety.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH is the largest biomedical research institution in the world, investing more than $30 billion annually from taxpayers to achieve its mission of enhancing health, lengthening life, and reducing illness and disability. In support of TWH programs for employees, the NIH utilizes information across a wide range of health-related topics to develop, support, and promote integrated programs and activities. The NIH TWH program utilizes evidence-based findings in support of its worker health, safety, well-being, chronic disease prevention, and health promotion programs. These resources assist our leadership and employees to “take our own best advice,” a phrase coined by the NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins. The NIH looks forward to continuing and expanding our collaborations in research and practice with a TWH approach.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Marine and Aviation Operations : There are more than twelve thousand people in NOAA striving toward a mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts; share that knowledge and information with others; and conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. Within NOAA, the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) provides operational platforms and unique skill sets within a fleet of 16 ships, 9 aircraft and over 400 divers in support of NOAA’s mission. From flying into hurricanes to sailing in rough seas around the world to diving deep beneath the ocean’s surface, OMAO’s mission is inherently demanding, stressful and dangerous. It is for this reason that OMAO is proud to invest in its personnel by becoming a TWH Affiliate. Our initial program focuses on Mental Health Screening and Support, Respectful Workplace Training and Victim Advocacy, Drug Testing, Substance Abuse Education, Maintenance of Operational Platforms, Job Training, integrating EEO into the TWH Initiatives, Fatigue at Sea/ Crew rest analysis including policy changes/ education, and Individual/ Family Deployment Resiliency. OMAO is committed to implementing a practical program and comprehensive culture that integrates policies, programs, and practices throughout the entire organization to protect, promote, and advance employee safety, health, and well-being.
National Park Service (NPS): The NPS has over 400 park areas and regional and program offices spread across the United States as well as the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the American Samoa. There are over 22,000 employees (permanent and seasonal) in diverse locations, ranging from the most densely populated urban areas to the country’s most remote areas. The National Park Service released the Safety, Health, and Wellness Strategy (Strategy) in October 2015. The Strategy is based on a model of continuous improvement and designed to create a sustainable culture of safety, health, and well-being. The accompanying comprehensive implementation plan involves a set of performance tiers with a web-based tool (e-Tool) that guides parks and offices in developing and enhancing their safety, health, and wellness programs.
National Safety Council (NSC): NSC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and death at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, and the public to make an impact where the most preventable injuries and deaths occur.
Nebraska Safety Council: The Nebraska Safety Council/WorkWell is committed to providing leadership and resources that promote safe and healthy environments in the workplace, on the roads and in our homes and communities. The Council promotes the Total Worker Health through 1) worksite implementation (Community Based Pilot Grant from the University of Iowa Healthier Workforce Center for Excellence); 2) worksite consultation; 3) state awards at an annual conference; 4) trainings, networking meetings, regional and national presentations; 5) promotional and educational materials. The purpose is to meet organizations where they are at; help determine their current state of programs, data, and organizational culture; and provide support and guidance to further advance their workplace initiatives through integration and evidenced based practices.
Northern Kentucky University (NKU), Psychological Science Department: The Psychological Science Department at NKU and NIOSH have been collaborating for over ten years on NKU’s Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program (MSIO) and on NKU’s new graduate certificate program in TWH. This certificate program is focused on workplace safety, employee health and well-being; providing opportunities for related research; and incorporating NIOSH TWH practice and research contributions.
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC): BWC administers the largest workers’ administers the largest workers’ compensation fund in the nation. BWC’s mission is to protect Ohio’s workers and employers through the prevention, care and management of workplace injuries and illnesses at fair rates. The Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH) is BWC’s loss prevention arm and is tasked with maintaining and growing a safe, healthy, competitive, and productive workforce in Ohio. DSH offers a comprehensive mix of safety programs and services including a Workplace Wellness Grant Program, Safety Interventions Grant Program, an Education and Training Program, the Safety Councils Program with close to 9,000 business members, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, specialized Library Services, and Consulting Services in the areas of safety, ergonomics, and industrial hygiene. On average, about 20,000 Ohio businesses employing more than 1.5 million workers benefit from these programs and services annually. Additionally, DSH Administers Department of Labor (DOL) OSHA On-Site Consultation Program, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) in Ohio.
SAIFexternal icon: SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit, state-chartered workers’ compensation company. Its vision is to be an industry innovator that makes Oregon the safest place to work. Its goal is to serve and protect the Oregon workforce, meet the needs of workers and employers, and strengthen Oregon’s economy. As an Affiliate, SAIF aims to improve the well-being of its employees, as well as nearly 50,000 policyholders and 600,000 covered workers. SAIF is committed to focusing on actions at the organizational level that improve health and support a zero-injury work environment.
Society for Occupational Health Psychology (SOHP)external icon: SOHP is a professional organization dedicated to helping workers worldwide become safer, healthier, happier, and more productive. More specifically, we are a non-profit organization dedicated to the generation, dissemination, and application of scientific knowledge in order to improve worker health and well-being. To achieve these goals, SOHP seeks to (1) promote psychological research on significant theoretical and practical questions related to occupational health, (2) encourage the application of findings from psychological research to workplace health concerns, and (3) improve education and training related to occupational health psychology at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition: Since 1982, the St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition (BHC) has supported employer efforts to improve the well-being of their enrollees and enhance the quality and overall value of their investments in health benefits. A non-profit organization, the BHC strives to make health care work better for businesses, their employees, and the larger communities they serve.
St. Luke’s Health Systemexternal icon: St. Luke’s is Idaho’s only locally owned, Idaho-based, not-for-profit health system and was founded in 1902. It has been named one of the Top 15 Health Systems in the United States for five consecutive years by Truven Health Analytics, now part of IBM Watson Health. St. Luke’s is physician led, and committed to improving the health of its employees and the communities it serve, and to continually advancing quality, best practices and value.
The University of Alabama (UA): UA’s interdisciplinary TWH Team conducts research focused on the organization of work; worker safety, health, and well-being; work capacity; and productivity, with a particular emphasis on heat stress. Additionally, UA Safe State provides consulting and educational services to find effective solutions to challenging environmental and occupational safety and health problems. The TWH Team is committed to working with partners on campus to promote a culture of safety and attention to employee well-being.
University at Buffaloexternal icon: The University at Buffalo, including the Human Factors and Ergonomics Group in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, is actively engaged in research and educational activities focused on worker well-being. Recent research priorities have emphasized job design, work organization, and organizational interventions. In addition, students engage in coursework emphasizing the role of integrating human factors and worker health into the broader context of designing effective work systems.
University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley): UC Berkeley is one of the world’s leading institutions of higher education and the preeminent public university in the country. We are also one of the leading employers in the San Francisco Bay Area with dedicated resources, services, and programs offered through the Be Well at Work Faculty/Staff Health programs. Our purpose, mission and strategic interventions aim to support the TWH approach and create a workplace community where faculty, staff, visiting scholars and postdocs can thrive in an inclusive culture of health, safety, and well-being.
University of California, Davis (UC Davis): UC Davis is an anchor institution with a mission of, teaching, research, public service and patient care. UC Davis recognizes the importance of worker health and well-being as essential to the success of teaching students, performing cutting edge research, community service and patient care at our medical center and patient care network. UC Davis celebrates many of the policies, practices, programs and integrated interventions that aim to collectively address and improve the safety, health, and well-being of UC Davis workers and their families. UC Davis also has a number of research partners contributing to TWH.
University of California, Los Angeles: UCLA’s primary purpose as a public research university is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. Committed to creating a culture of health, UCLA’s Semel Healthy Campus Initiative (Semel HCI) Center, envisioned and supported by Jane and Terry Semel, prioritizes the health and wellness of students, faculty and staff. By helping bridge diverse departments and stakeholders, and leverage the strengths of individuals, departments and organizations, Semel HCI provides a network across UCLA and UCLA Health that supports the TWH approach.
University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC): UCSC is known for making strides in social and environmental justice and is driven to innovate across disciplines and advocate for transformative change. UCSC has two programs that focus on faculty and staff wellness: the Faculty and Staff Wellness Program and Healthy Campus Network. Managed by Risk Services, these programs support the commitment of UCSC to improve the health and safety of faculty, staff, and students, and collaborate with departments across campus to create a culture of well-being for our community.
University of Georgiaexternal icon: The Workplace Health Group in the College of Public Health in the University of Georgia has worked with the idea of integration for over twenty years. The group emphasizes the inter-relationship of healthy people, healthy places (environments), and productivity and recently received a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to research and implement workplace chronic disease self-management programs.
University of Michiganexternal icon: The University of Michigan Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering (UM COHSE) offers academic programs in Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety Engineering, Occupational Epidemiology and Occupational Health Nursing, and provides a wide range of continuing education and research programs in many areas of occupational health and safety. Total Worker Health is covered in the Occupational Health Seminar Series, a weekly interdisciplinary seminar attended by COHSE students and faculty, as well as the Occupational Health Nursing program, which embeds a focus on the social determinants of health, including job and other factors that affect the well-being of workers, their families and communities, into theory and clinical practice. COHSE faculty are conducting research on issues such as work organizational factors on the use of personal protective equipment and social and work-related factors that influence the use of hearing conserving practices.
University of New Hampshire Institute on Disabilityexternal icon: The New Hampshire Occupational Health Surveillance Program in the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire aims to provide meaningful statistics to identify priority occupational safety and health issues in the state. This includes reports on a variety of core occupational health indicators based on measures of health (work-related disease, injury, or disability) or factors associated with health, such as workplace exposures, hazards or interventions. Research activities are focused on the characterization of risk factors tied to workplace injury and illness, such as occupational poisonings, work related asthma, and exposure to lead; as well as a better understanding of how injury and illness data may inform policy making at the state and national level. The program works with many community, business, and advocacy partners in the state to conduct studies on under-reporting and under-recording of work related injuries and illnesses; barriers to safe and healthy working conditions; and disparities experienced by New Hampshire’s most vulnerable workers.
UNC Greensboro:: UNC Greensboro’s Interdisciplinary Workplace Health Network (IWHN) aims to advance worker health and wellbeing, using a socioecological approach that aligns with the TWH hierarchy of controls. IWHN offers a post-baccalaureate certificate that prepares students and practitioners to lead TWH initiatives. They engage with internal, local, and national partners to conduct practitioner trainings, consultations, and research and evaluation. Examples of topics addressed through training, consultation, and research include quality benchmarks, food environments, work-life balance, flexible work schedules, burn-out and job performance, screening and brief interventions, and opioid misuse prevention.
University of Rochester (UR)external icon : UR, which includes the UR Medical Center and Strong Memorial Hospital, is one of the nation’s top-tier research universities. With more than 30,000 employees, the University is the largest private employer in the Western New York region, and fifth largest in New York State. With a strong commitment to employee safety, health and wellness, the University will leverage Total Worker Health resources and integrate its initiatives to optimize faculty and staff well-being and productivity while minimizing injury, impairment, and disability.
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)external icon: The Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH), within UTHealth School of Public Health, promotes health, safety, and well-being of workers and the communities where they live. The SWCOEH has been continuously funded as a NIOSH Education and Research Center (ERC) since 1977 and, for more than 40 years, has served the region and nation by conducting rigorous research, offering excellent graduate-level education and providing exceptional professional workforce development training in occupational safety and health. The SWCOEH offers the first doctoral TWH program in the U.S., housed within the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Program of UTHealth School of Public Health. The SWCOEH continuing education program is expanding its offerings to include TWH opportunities to meet the needs of stakeholders given the shifting paradigm for a more holistic approach to worker well-being that accounts for changes in the nature of work and the workforce.
Western Kentucky University (WKU)external icon: WKU is advancing an integrated approach to worker safety, health, and well-being through its research, curriculum, and internal employee programs. The university is developing new interdisciplinary coursework, building capacity for a new generation of TWH professionals. WKU is also committed to providing a culture of safety and health for its faculty, staff, and students through collaborations among its campus programs.
Health & Human Services Agency | Yolo County: Yolo County Public Health serves a county of about 220,000 residents. Located between Sacramento and the Bay Area, Yolo County is also home to the University of California at Davis. Besides local government and the university, agriculture remains central to the economy of Yolo County. Yolo County Public Health promote well-being, works to prevent disease and injury, while also protecting residents and the environment.
Find out how the NIOSH TWH Program collaborates with partners to help advance worker well-being.
Read updates from the NIOSH TWH Affiliates in the latest TWH in Action! eNewsletter.
Discover real examples of Promising Practices for TWH from employers across the country, including TWH Affiliates.