September 2025
 |
Inside the September Issue |
Work Should Heal
BY TYLER JENKINS AND COREY CARPENITO
In the world of occupational health,
there’s a quiet assumption we’ve all come
to accept: the best we can hope for is to
send workers home in the same condition
they arrived. Not worse, of course, but
rarely better.
That bar is too low.
What if work could actually be restorative? What if it could support the human body and mind instead of just avoiding harm? What if a jobsite wasn’t just a place of risk but a place of resilience?
This isn’t just a philosophical question. It’s a challenge to reimagine the way we think about health in the workplace.
Beyond “Do No Harm”
In healthcare, the principle of primum
non nocere - first, do no harm - guides our
decisions. In occupational health, this has
traditionally translated to injury prevention,
regulatory compliance, and post-incident
response. These are all important.
But they are also reactive.
We’ve accepted a reactive model for far too long. One where workers only receive attention after something has gone wrong. One where silence or invisibility is often mistaken for health.
But silence isn’t wellness. It’s just the absence of attention.
We need a new framework - a framework that’s proactive, preventative, and deeply human-centered. One that sees work not just as a source of physical strain, but as a platform for improving lives.
The Missed Opportunity
on Every Jobsite
On construction sites, manufacturing
floors, and distribution hubs across the
country, we find a largely untapped opportunity
for public health impact.
Many workers spend 40 hours or more a week in environments where basic health education, screenings, and support could be easily embedded, yet this rarely occurs.
For many workers, the job site may be their only consistent access point to care. Some individuals don’t have a primary care physician. Some individuals lack the time to navigate the traditional healthcare system. But they show up to work. That’s where we can meet them.
A compelling example is a 14-week Total Worker Health (TWH) pilot intervention conducted among commercial construction crews, which integrated both health promotion and health protection strategies into the daily workflow. The program included ergonomic improvements, wellness coaching, safety training, and individualized support for behavior change. Researchers found that the initiative resulted in measurable improvements in health knowledge, dietary behaviors, and perceived well-being, while also showing promise in reducing injury risks and job stressors.1 Full story »
today's News
NFPA Survey Spotlights AI Adoption, Training Trends in Skilled Trades
QUINCY, MA -- The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released findings from its third annual industry survey conducted at the NFPA 2025 Conference & Expo, the premier conference for fire, electrical, and life safety professionals.
NSC Launches Overdose Emergency Planning Tool to Help Employers Save Lives
WASHINGTON, DC -- Overdose represents nearly 10 percent of workplace fatalities, yet only 28 percent of employers report being fully stocked with naloxone on worksites, according to a recent NSC survey.
UniFirst First Aid + Safety and Soundtrace Partner to Modernize Workplace Hearing Protection
ST. LOUIS and CINCINNATI -- UniFirst First Aid + Safety, a provider of first aid, and safety services, and Soundtrace, digital hearing conservation technology company, announced a partnership to provide on-site audiometric testing services that help employers meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's hearing conservation requirements while protecting their workers from preventable hearing loss.
Black Lung Screenings for Coal Miners Announced for Ohio and West Virginia
WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will offer free, confidential black lung screenings to coal miners throughout September in Ohio and West Virginia. NIOSH provides screenings through a mobile testing unit at convenient community locations.
Blackline Safety’s EXO 8 Wins Two OH&S New Product of the Year Awards
CALGARY, CA -- Blackline Safety Corp. announced its EXO 8 portable area monitor has won two 2025 Occupational Health & Safety New Product of the Year Awards in the categories of Emergency Response & Preparedness and Industrial Hygiene: Gas Monitors/Instrumentation.
