News

Leaders in occupational health and safety from across the U.S. have launched the new Society for Total Worker Health™. The Society for Total Worker Health is a non-profit member organization made up of individuals and partners dedicated to the advancement of worker health, safety, well-being, and productivity through Total Worker Health®. 

The Society will serve as a hub and community for sharing new and innovative ideas to expand Total Worker Health (TWH) research, training, education, dissemination, and real-world solutions. The Society hopes to chart a new path for professional and scientific organizations, not compete with them. The group’s goals are to act as a place for professionals and students to engage across all disciplines to improve the field of TWH and experience of all workers. The Society will engage members from traditional occupational safety and health disciplines, government, academia, human resources, public health, public policy, industry, and labor groups.

Inspired by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) more than a decade ago, the field of TWH is growing, increasing the potential to improve the well-being of more workers around the globe. The Society, independent from the constraints of its government roots, can boldly innovate, offer promising strategies for advancing this new discipline, and convene and inspire people who want to help shape the future of TWH.  

“The issues facing today’s workers and workplaces require a new approach,” said L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH, Director of the Office for TWH at NIOSH. “The Society will bring together people from across disciplines to address complex challenges, learn from each other, and collectively solve big problems. The field of TWH is expanding rapidly and gaining momentum, increasing the need for a place to convene people who want to help shape our future.”

“Our membership stands on four pillars; building community, leading, staying informed, and mentoring,” said Liliana Tenney, DrPH, Assistant Professor and Associate Director for Outreach at the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health, and the Society’s interim President Elect. “We’re building this community to connect individuals from across fields and give them tools to lead in their field – all in a way that is fresh to how professional associations typically operate. People interested in TWH are curious and motivated to tackle big problems facing today’s workplaces. The Society will be a place for having rich dialogue, building new relationships, and overall, evolving the field of TWH for greater impact.” 

The Society’s leadership, board of directors, and founding members are collected from leaders within NIOSH, NIOSH’s ten Centers of Excellence for TWH, and prominent occupational safety and health professional organizations. The group will hold its kick-off and inaugural meeting at the 3rd International Symposium to Advance TWH in Bethesda, MD, on October 14, 2022.

The Society for Total Worker Health is now accepting new members and partnerships. For more information, visit www.twhsociety.org. 

Total Worker Health® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Trademark use granted under licensing agreement. Participation by the Colorado School of Public Health does not imply endorsement by HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.