Several members of SAIF’s safety and health team recently visited Oregon State University’s environmental and occupational health program to discuss potential collaborations.
SAIF, a not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company based in Oregon, has collaborated with Oregon State students and researchers in the past by providing data to assist in research and supporting safety studies.
“The visit was a great opportunity to see the work that’s happening at OSU, and to look for ways we can partner with them to benefit the workers of Oregon,” says SAIF’s Chief Safety Officer Pam Ahr.
Highlights of the visit included a tour of the Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Research Laboratory and an overview of some of the past and current research conducted at the university. The research addresses hazards associated with high-risk industries such as commercial fishing, construction, forestry, mining and transportation.
Researchers shared the emphasis on evaluating evidence-based interventions to reduce risk of injury and to improve worker health and well-being. The process of communicating findings back to stakeholders was also discussed.
SAIF is launching a construction safety initiative this year, and OSU researchers might be able to help with targeted interventions that can make a real difference in worker injury numbers. Taking field-tested studies out to the rest of the world of work is a hallmark of the research-to-practice model.
“I have long enjoyed collaborating with SAIF on efforts to improve Oregonian workers’ health, safety and well-being,” says Laurel Kincl, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health at CPHHS.
“We were excited to host SAIF visitors and share our capacity to further collaborate to train the next generation of worker health and safety professionals, and to develop relevant research.”
We look forward to more conversations and hope that SAIF can visit again soon to learn more about OSU.”