The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Office for Total Worker Health (TWH)™ recently launched an Affiliate Program in order to increase the number of work environments that support the overall safety, health and well-being of workers. Inaugural members of the NIOSH TWH Affiliate Program include the University of Colorado, School of Public Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Why an affiliate program?

NIOSH aims to increase the capacity and scope of public and not-for-profit organizations in integrated health protection and health promotion programs through the affiliate program by:

• increasing the visibility, uptake and impact of TWH to advance the safety, health and well-being of workers;
• attracting new collaborators to enrich and broaden current NIOSH TWH translational research;
• attracting new collaborators to enrich and broaden current NIOSH TWH practice and dissemination efforts;
• publicly recognizing the contributions of the Affiliates to the development and dissemination of TWH research and practice.

“At NIOSH, we recognize the benefits of integrating traditional workplace safety and health programs with newer worker health promotion programs to achieve total worker health” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “The Affiliate Program helps to further advance the integration of health protection and health promotion within other organizations.”

Leading the way

As two of the initial Affiliates in the program, the Center for Worker Health and Environment, University of Colorado School of Public Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are leading the way for improved workplace and worker safety, health and well-being by applying more of an integrated approach. The Center for Worker Health and Environment has a robust and growing continuing education program, public-private partnerships, and community-based initiative to integrate worksite health promotion and health protection. 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.”

Public sector organizations welcome

Participation in the Affiliate Program is voluntary and intended for public sector entities; labor organizations; academic institutions; federal, state, or local entities; and non-profit associations that align with the principles of a Total Worker HealthTM approach. Any parties interested in becoming a NIOSH TWH Affiliate may contact the Office for Total Worker Health via email at twh@cdc.gov.

More information on the NIOSH Total Worker Health Affiliate Program, including FAQs, can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/twh/affiliate.html. For more information on the NIOSH Total Worker Health Program, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/TWH/.

NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.