Workplace

​The nature of the workplace—and the work people do—has changed dramatically since the Institute was founded more than 60 years ago. The U.S. has shifted from a manufacturing to a service economy, computers have proliferated and workforce demographics have changed. Building upon a rich legacy of occupational safety research, the Institute is responding to changes in the nature of work and the workforce.

Over the years, the Institute’s workplace safety research has focused primarily on physical work hazards. These studies provided the scientific basis for tools and strategies that continue to help businesses reduce on-the-job injuries. Today, our workplace research extends beyond physical exposures to organizational, societal and technological factors contributing to occupational injuries.