The federal government’s attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the business community’s response to disruptions caused by various mandates have redefined the understanding of worker safety.
As a result, a little-known federal agency’s comprehensive framework for employee health and well-being is now at the center of discussions that may result in a new wave of federal regulations.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research center, has expanded its mission from certifying respirators and publishing lists of toxic substances in the early 1970s to creating the framework it calls Total Worker Health (TWH).
According to researchers, academics and consultants, suggestions within TWH are shaping the model for future rules governing worker safety based on relevant issues such as anti-bullying, stress prevention, diversity and inclusion and affordable housing.
“Although NIOSH is generally characterized as a non-regulatory agency, guidance and recommendations issued by NIOSH are often used by other agencies responsible for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulations,” the agency notes.
How Did COVID-19 Boost the Profile of TWH?
Research conducted as businesses shut down under state and federal mandates concluded that by voluntarily employing TWH principles, “employers can organize their own efforts to improve system performance and worker well-being,” according to an article published in Human Factors. The Harvard School of Public Health later described adopting TWH the framework as essential.
“Now all of a sudden people realize the impact work has on mental health and other aspects of well-being … like reliance on childcare and disparities in work,” according to Jack Dennerlein, an HSPH professor and co-director of the school’s Work and Health Well-being.
In a separate article, HSPH notes the pandemic mandates “uprooted existing assumptions about worker safety, health, and well-being” and recommended a multi-stage process for implementing the TWH approach in the workplace:
- Focus on creating a supportive work culture that meets increased psychological demands
- Empower workers to identify challenges and suggest solutions
- Increase efficiencies through holistic and collaborative efforts
- Support employees through action and communication
- Establish and follow ethical and legal standards
- Make data-driven analysis and decisions to measure the impact of implementation
As a systemic realignment, TWH sets “the environment — physical, social, economic — which shapes how the workplace is organized. Within that, these factors start to drive the behavior of the individuals within it,” notes Adjunct Professor Nico Pronk, co-director of Work and Health Well-being.
Safesite — consultant group that assists businesses in developing and deploying workplace health, safety and well-being policies and actions — notes that TWH may become a regulatory and compliance issue: “A combination of renewed focus on public health along with clear agendas at OSHA and the Department of Labor could translate into big regulatory changes for you.”
What Are the Challenges to Integrating New Health, Safety and Well-being Initiatives?
Implementing TWH will require structural reorganization within businesses, according to Health and Fitness Journal. For instance, worker health programs that ensure employees’ physical safety — primarily an operational responsibility — will be integrated with wellness initiatives, such as smoking cessation and mental health initiatives that promote well-being, which typically fall under human resources.
“These two important functions have been implemented in isolation and have lacked the benefit of leveraging each other’s strengths and potential for synergistic outcomes,” the article states.
By breaking down walls between protection and well-being, the journal predicts that policies built on TWH will produce environmental, organizational and psychosocial benefits that support productivity, achievement and success.
How Will Businesses Adapt to a TWH Culture?
Whether organizations integrate TWH principles on their own or wait for the government to require them, they will place a premium on business professionals with expertise in workplace safety management.
Graduates of Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Safety, such as the program offered online by Southeastern Oklahoma State University, are well equipped for leadership roles in implementing and following safety protocols.
Studies offered by the university’s program explore such subjects as advanced safety program management, crisis preparedness, legal liability and statistical evaluation of industrial and regulatory issues.
Learn more about Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s online MBA with a Concentration in Safety program.
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