Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

ABSTRACT: OVERALL CENTER The primary objectives of the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (NEC) renewal will be to: 1) create an OSH environment in the Northeast that combines research, services and promotion to mobilize partners and catalyze community change agents to improve health and

safety in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AgFF) industries, and 2) to monitor the impact of these efforts in order to improve Center programs and to measure NEC success. Specific Aims include: #1- Developing transdisciplinary solutions for several priority OSH AgFF issues. We will seek to tackle several key issues that

prior research, stakeholder input and literature reviews indicate are problematic for AgFF industries. These issues include the development of Total Worker Health solutions for loggers, expansion of proven lifejackets solutions for the fishing industry, improving mental health services for the farm community, addressing tick-

borne disease in the farming industry, developing culturally relevant OSH programs in all three industries and conducting AgFF surveillance. #2- Create a foundation for disseminating proven OSH solutions to AgFF operations. In addition to these targeted initiatives, the NEC will provide onsite or virtual worker trainings,

respiratory fit-testing, PPE, technical assistance, emerging issues assistance, train-the trainer opportunities, safety demonstrations, grants and cost-sharing opportunities. #3- Widely promote AgFF OSH “wins” to empower AgFF industries. NEC solutions and resources will be available to AgFF industry groups throughout

the Northeast and beyond. The NEC intends to focus on our dual role of being both a “service” and “research” Center and will use AgFF testimonials, safety awards, success stories and social norms promotion to send a positive AgFF OSH message. The NEC will also engage in a “Clear Communications Campaign,” which will

involve disseminating research beyond peer-reviewed publications in places and formats that are relatable and relevant to AgFF populations. #4- Evaluate NEC AgFF activities. The Bassett Research Institute Center for Evaluating Rural Interventions will use multiple evaluation methods to assess, as well as improve, the NEC’s

outputs and outcomes of each of its cores.