It’s official: Alliance on Total Worker Health®

Yesterday, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences (including the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center), Oregon OSHA and SAIF Corporation signed the first alliance we are aware of to expand the knowledge and application of Total Worker Health® principles by leveraging the strengths of three state-based organizations. What we consider to be unique in this alliance, is forging partnership between Oregon’s state OSHA, Oregon’s not-for-profit, state-chartered workers’ compensation insurance company, and an Oregon-based academic research institute. The Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, a NIOSH-funded Total Worker Health Center of Excellence, is housed within the Institute. Needless to say, we are excited and very pleased to have such strong partners who support the mission of Total Worker Health.

What does this mean? Signing the document is just the beginning, of course. Over the years, these three partners have collaborated on many issues and initiatives impacting occupational safety, health and well-being. Now, however, we are specifically targeting how we can work together to move the needle in Oregon to improve health, safety and well-being for all workers, utilizing concepts, evidence and data related to Total Worker Health principles.

Stay tuned for details on our work, and opportunities for Oregon organizations to join our efforts. And of course, we look to your leadership and practical understanding to feed our movement. What do you think?