John Howard, M.D., Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), explores how organizational practices influence risk factors for illness and injury at work.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking public comment on a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) Promoting Health and Preventing Disease and Injury through Workplace Tobacco Policies.

ISHN posted this commentary from Dr. Howard earlier in April. Given Dr. Howard’s long tenure at NIOSH and his visionary perspectives on worker health and safety, we want to “rebroadcast’ it as an ISHN blog.

Workers Memorial Day, April 28, reminds us that every death, injury, or illness on the job represents a human tragedy. Behind each statistic is the loss of a loved one’s life, the diminution or loss of a father’s or mother’s ability to provide for family needs, or a medical crisis that can have lifelong consequences.

The Total Worker Health™ (TWH) strategy developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a concept being embraced in many countries, as NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard found at a recent conference.

When most people hear the phrase "occupational health and safety," they probably think of OSHA, the federal government organization that regulates workplace health and safety. Others may just think of researchers in huge moon suits, breathing through respirators like Darth Vader while they investigate some on-the-job mishap.

It’s no secret (to the EHS profession, anyway) that work affects health. But exactly how does work affect health? What are the health consequences of specific employment factors, conditions and circumstances?

Occupational exposures facing modern workers are more challenging than ever before – and require more from safety professionals.That point was made by L. Casey Chosewood, MD, of NIOSH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the third day General Session at AIHce 2013.

The short answer, according to agency chief Dr. David Michaels, who was asked the question in a Q&A session Tuesday morning, is NO.  Dr. Michaels was emphatic on that point. “We have too much on our plate now,” he said.

Those of us who work in workplace safety and health know that workplace health is an integral part of public health. While “Creating a Healthy Workplace” is one of the five themes of National Public Health Week, the role of workplace health in Public Health is not always clear to the general public.