TOTAL WORKER HEALTH: An Approach to Keep Workers Safe and Healthy

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) in 1970. The act mandates “to assure so far as possible every man and woman in the Nation safe and healthy working conditions”. Traditionally, safety and health professionals provided expertise to identify physical, chemical and biological hazards in the workplace, then implementing engineering or administrative controls to prevent injuries and illnesses. As safety and health professionals, our expertise was used to address the American Disabilities Act (ADA) created in 1990. The ADA required employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations. Although workplace hazards and accommodating individuals with disabilities have reduced injuries and illnesses in the work environment, individuals today continue to be impacted by changes in the environment, underlying health conditions and social issues.

The Total Worker Health (TWH) approach encourages safety professionals to look beyond traditional hazards and consider how all aspects of work affect safety, health and well-being. Workplace conditions such as long hours, poor lighting, high noise levels, repetitive tasks, and exposure to hazardous substances can contribute to physical strain and chronic health issues. Psychosocial hazards, including high job demands, low control, lack of support, bullying, and job insecurity, can lead to stress, burnout, and mental health challenges that impair focus and increase injury risk. Irregular schedules and shift work may further disrupt sleep and recovery, compounding these effects. Keeping workers healthy and safe from both physical and psychosocial risks factors is central to the Total Worker Health approach. This approach advances worker safety, health and well-being by improving the design of work, management practices, and the physical and psychosocial work environment. Within this framework, worker well-being encompasses positive physical, emotional, mental, and economic health, and how these aspects of health relate to work and worker experiences from a comprehensive and holistic perspective.

Join us at the 2026 Michigan Safety Conference to learn more about Total Worker Health from our keynote speaker Dr. Diane Rohlman of Iowa State University and director of the Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest. The conference offers two days of classes that address multiple aspects of workplace health and safety in a variety of industries.