Safe Work in the 21st Century

Despite many advances, 20 American workers die each day as a result of occupational injuries. And occupational safety and health (OSH) is becoming even more complex as workers move away from the long-term, fixed-site, employer relationship.

This book looks at worker safety in the changing workplace and the challenge of ensuring a supply of top-notch OSH professionals. Recommendations are addressed to federal and state agencies, OSH organizations, educational institutions, employers, unions, and other stakeholders.

The committee reviews trends in workforce demographics, the nature of work in the information age, globalization of work, and the revolution in health care delivery-exploring the implications for OSH education and training in the decade ahead.

The core professions of OSH (occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and occupational medicine and nursing) and key related roles (employee assistance professional, ergonomist, and occupational health psychologist) are profiled-how many people are in the field, where they work, and what they do. The book reviews in detail the education, training, and education grants available to OSH professionals from public and private sources.

• Front Matter
• Executive Summary
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Occupational Safety and Health Professionals
• 3 The Changing Workforce
• 4 The Changing Workplace
• 5 The Changing Organization of Work
• 6 The Changing Delivery of Health Care
• 7 Education and Training Programs
• 8 Alternatives to Traditional Classrooms
• 9 Summary of Findings and Recommendations
• References
• Appendix A Committee and Staff Biographies
• Appendix B Statement on Committee Composition by Committee Member James A. Oppold
• Appendix C Significant Events in the History of Occupational Safety and Health
• Appendix D Locations of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and Training Program Grants (TPGs)