The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have renewed a partnership agreement that outlines how the organizations will collaborate on advancing workplace safety and health over the next five years.

ASSP President Rixio Medina, CSP, CPP, and NIOSH Director John Howard, MD, signed the memorandum of understanding May 22. According to a statement by the ASSP, both organizations recognize the benefits of a partnership to improve safety and health conditions at workplaces throughout the United States.

“We have a common mission to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities, so we want to benefit from each other’s experience and combine resources where possible to improve occupational safety and health performance,” Medina said.

According to the agreement, ASSP and NIOSH will work cooperatively to advance safety research; promote the workplace implementation of research results; promote best practices and professional development opportunities in the occupational safety and health profession; encourage employers to develop and utilize safety and health management programs; and other joint ventures that advance occupational safety and health outcomes worldwide.

“We’re looking forward to further collaborating and amplifying each other’s efforts over the next several years to enhance workers’ well-being and business safety performance,” Medina said.

Among several cooperative activities, ASSP and NIOSH have collaborated on research that identified sources of vulnerability among young immigrant construction workers at small companies. Another installment on effective interventions that safety professionals can use to prevent falls among this group is due in the coming year.