Climate Change: Development of a Research Agenda for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Key Objectives:

1. Review potential occupational safety and health hazards associated with or potentiated by climate change, and worker groups most likely to be affected (e.g. first responders, health care workers, fire fighters, utility workers, farmers, and transportation workers)
2. Raise awareness of NIOSH activities addressing the occupational safety and health implications of climate change
3. Present the NIOSH Climate Change Research Agenda and solicit feedback from stakeholders and potential partners
4. Provide an opportunity for session participants to share information on activities in their jurisdictions, and explore opportunities for collaboration

Brief Summary:
There is strong evidence that climate change presents or impacts occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards. Numerous critical research questions still need to be resolved to better characterize and understand the OSH implications. Research on hazards, surveillance, risk assessment activities, and preventive interventions are all needed. In 2014, the NIOSH Director identified climate change as an Emphasis Area for NIOSH research, and a work group formed to ensure NIOSH proactively addresses the OSH effects of climate change. The purpose of the work group is to ensure current, emerging, and anticipated worker safety and health issues associated with climate change are appropriately identified and prioritized, and to recommend strategies to address them. The work group has developed a draft Climate Change Research Agenda providing recommendations for future research activities and priorities. An important component of any future NIOSH climate change research strategy is collaboration with State, Local, Territorial, Tribal and other partners. This roundtable is an opportunity for members of the NIOSH work group to share information about our activities and solicit feedback on the proposed research agenda. It also provides a venue for all participants to discuss the OSH challenges resulting from climate change, share information on activities in their jurisdiction, and identify common priorities and opportunities for collaboration.