Eastern Kentucky University’s newly-formed Center for Total Worker Health® has been designated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a NIOSH Total Worker Health®affiliate.
“The traditional approach to occupational health and safety management focuses on identifying and mitigating workplace hazards in an attempt to keep workers safe. Unfortunately, this management approach does not account for occupational stressors and demands such as the number of hours the individual works, how much money they make per hour, treatment from peers and supervisors or access to short-term or long-term paid leave. Total Worker Health® moves beyond just keeping workers safe to view work as a social determinant of health. Doing so allows us to holistically examine the wellbeing of the worker, their families, and the communities in which they live,” said Dr. Clint Pinion, associate professor in the Dept. for Environmental Health Science and Master of Public Health Director.
The EKU Center forTotal Worker Health (EKU CTWH) is a joint program formed in 2020 between the EKU College of Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Science (DEHS) and Department of Health Promotion and Administration (DHPA) and the College of Justice and Safety, Department of Safety and Security (DSS). A Memorandum of Agreement between the Colleges and NIOSH was finalized on February 16, 2021.
“The newly launched Center for Total Worker Health® will enable faculty and students from two colleges, Health Sciences and Safety, Justice, and Military Science, to collaboratively address the needs of workers in our service region, the Commonwealth, and beyond. We will examine worker wellbeing through the lens of occupational health, safety, health promotion, and gerontology,” Pinion said.
As a NIOSH Total Worker Health Affiliate, the EKU CTWH will work with NIOSH to actively advance workplace policies, 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. The mission of the EKU CTWH is to promote and improve the health and safety of the workers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky through applied research and training.
The EKU CTWH is located in the Dizney Building and is administered by Dr. Clint Pinion, Director and Dr. David Stumbo, Director. The Center will be steered by an advisory committee comprised of representatives from academia, industry, and government.
For more information, please contact any of the following sources:
David.stumbo@eku.edu
https://mph.eku.edu/center-total-worker-health
Total Worker Health® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Participation by the EKU Center for Total Worker Health does not imply endorsement by HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.