The OccHealthSci faculty who conduct applied research are public health scientists grounded in organizational, social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences.  We partner with employers and labor and community-based organizations across many industries to identify hazards and needs, and develop or evaluate workplace programs, policies, and practices that impact occupational health and safety.  Our workplace interventions are among the most effective as shown by significant changes and robust effect sizes.¹ 

Our work focuses on diverse occupational groups, including those in high-risk industries.  We view work as a critical social determinant of health, and we aim to prevent or reduce workplace health inequities. We commit to taking on a justice lens to examine the knowledge we value, the purpose of our work, our use of language, the ways we engage with our community, and the partners that we pursue and serve. 

 Our two primary themes are: (a) Total Worker Health^®  approaches to advancing workers’ safety, health and well-being; and (b) workplace hazard prevention (viz., injury treatment, recovery, prevention). 

 We are funded by the Oregon Workers’ Compensation system, and federal and state grants.  We are home to the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center (OHWC), one of ten NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health^®. The OHWC was founded in 2011, and our work has been funded by NIOSH ever since. The Center’s theme is Total Worker Health intervention effectiveness and translation to advance safe and healthy work design.

¹Anger WK, Rameshbabu A, Olson R, Bodner T, Hurtado DA, Parker K, Wan W, Wipfli B, Rohlman DS, Effectiveness of Total Worker Health® Interventions (chapter 4) in Hudson, H.L., Nigam, J.S., Sauter, S.L., Chosewood, L.C., Schill, A.L., & Howard, J. (Eds.) (2019). Total Worker Health^®: Integrative Approaches to Safety, Health, and Well-being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association

Our Institute faculty and affiliated faculty conducting applied research, and their primary research interests, are: