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Occupational Health and Safety

photos of worker protections throught the century

Established in 1914, the Occupational Health and Safety Section is one of the oldest within APHA, advocating for the health, safety and well-being of workers, families, communities and the environment.

The OHS Section recognizes the intrinsic link between the work environment and the health and safety of working people, their families, communities and the environment at large.

Join us to help ensure that every worker returns home safe, healthy and well.

Our Members

While many in our Section self-identify as "OHS professionals," we represent and recruit members from a multitude of disciplines that influence and improve work and working conditions from medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene and safety engineering to epidemiology, toxicology, environmental health, statistics, community and labor organizing, social justice, injury prevention, education, history, law and journalism.

Our Work

Over 145 million workers in the U.S. — and several billion people around the globe — face the risk of work-related injuries and illnesses that can cause serious immediate or long-term health problems.

Our Section has a long and storied history of fighting for the health and safety of workers. One of the main ways we do that is by helping to determine APHA's occupational health and safety policies and priorities:

  • Through Section-developed resolutions and position papers, our members have a voice in directly and indirectly influencing national public health policy.
  • Recent Section-initiated resolutions have addressed risks related to workplace violence, lead exposure, occupational transmission of emerging infectious diseases, surveillance of occupational disease and injury, child labor, migrant labor, ergonomics, job stress and workers' compensation.
  • We provide input concerning scientific and technical developments involving Section activities, advocacy, and expertise.

Member Benefits

As a member of our Section, you can help grow our legacy in public health practice! Membership allows your voice to be heard in the fight to protect the health and safety of workers around the world. You’ll stand alongside some of the nation’s most knowledgeable occupational and worker health and safety advocates, champions, and legends.

We offer many opportunities to get involved, such as joining Section leadership, collaborating with other organizations and partners, influencing APHA policies and priorities, reviewing abstracts and presenting your research at the APHA Annual Meeting.

Join Us!

Your participation is vital to our continued success. Become an active member of the Section when you join APHA. If you are already an APHA member, you can join as your second Section for no additional cost by updating your member profile. 

Attend Events

Check out the APHA calendar for upcoming Section events and browse our sessions at the 2024 APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.

Visit on APHA LEAD

Members can visit us on APHA LEAD to learn about upcoming events, join in discussions with other Section members, and access our Section’s resource library.

Social Media

Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn to receive up-to-date information on Section happenings as well as professional development opportunities.

Contribute

Support our efforts by making a donation.