Our Impact

Our students and faculty pursue careers in occupational and environmental health and safety because they want to make a difference. And they’ve chosen to be part of our center because we’re committed to the same thing.

The proof is in what we’ve accomplished over the last four-plus decades.

Why Does What We Do Matter?

The states we primarily serve are home to several industrial activities, such as mining, in which workers are at increased risk of injury or death. In fact, our region has the highest occupational fatality rate in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the typical victim of a workplace fatality being a 30-year-old with two children. Research has shown that the economic consequences of occupational injuries and deaths in the U.S., meanwhile, are crushing, with the burden commensurate to that of cancer and heart disease.

These facts put into stark terms the importance of our mission and our ability to fulfill it. Our training and services save and improve workers’ lives, creating ripple effects in communities all over the country. Fewer children growing up without a parent. Fewer families struggling to make ends meet as a provider recovers from injury. More businesses thriving, unburdened by the weight of the tremendous costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses.

It’s why we’re proud of all that we’ve done — yet never content to rest on our laurels. Despite our achievements, the challenges of protecting workers and their environment will continue, as will our dedication to solving them.