NIOSH Launches Health Center to Promote Workers' Well-Being
The National Center for Productive Aging and Work focuses on safety at all ages.
NIOSH has launched the National Center for Productive Aging and Work (NCPAW), the first virtual center to be hosted by the NIOSH Office for Total Worker Health. It will focus on the safety of workers at all ages and promote well-being, as well as advance the concept of "productive aging."
According to a NIOSH news release, the center's mission is to develop a research plan for improving the safety and health of workers of all ages, facilitate collaboration among researchers and partners, develop new interventions, and highlight best practices for aging workplaces. The center also will help NIOSH advance age-friendly work policies at the national level.
"Either by necessity or by choice, Americans are working longer than ever before. Our new center will focus on advancing the best ways to both address the needs and challenges of aging workers, and recognize the benefits of an aging workforce," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. "Optimizing working conditions to match the reality that every worker is aging, from the first day on the job to the last, is essential. If our nation is to maximize its economic potential and keep workers safe and healthy, we must make this area of research a top priority."