Natalie Schwatka, PhD, MS, assistant professor at the Centers for Health, Work & Environment (CHWE) at the ColoradoSPH, is leading a new five-year project addressing the critical safety and mental health challenges in construction, a field known for high rates of injuries, fatalities, and psychosocial issues, including suicide and substance use.
The Collaborative Leadership for Safety and Health in Construction (CL-SHC) project is a collaborative effort between CHWE and the Center for Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW). The CL-SHC project, supported by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) through a Cooperative Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), integrates elements from the successful Foundations for Safety Leadership training and the Healthy Worker Participatory Program to implement sustainable health and safety practices specifically tailored to construction sites.
"This partnership between our two NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health® is exciting," said Schwatka. "By combining our expertise and resources, we’re able to create a far greater impact on worker safety and health in the construction industry than we could individually."
The team will develop a toolkit designed to equip construction managers, supervisors, and workers with collaborative problem-solving tools, allowing them to identify and address both safety and psychosocial health challenges within their company. By emphasizing collaboration between different levels of the workforce, this toolkit is intended to foster a culture of safety and health that is both comprehensive and sustainable.
“The construction industry faces a host of challenges that impact individual well-being,” added Schwatka. “While there are many strategies construction companies can use to address these challenges, they’re often not adopted or fail during implementation because they weren’t built by the participants who hold the knowledge and experience of how things work best”
Researchers will work closely with a diverse advisory board of industry leaders to develop the toolkit, including representatives from academia, industry, labor unions, and safety professions. This collaborative approach ensures that the toolkit reflects a wide range of perspectives, increasing its potential effectiveness and adaptability across different work environments.
“The secret sauce of our approach is the focus on both leadership commitment and workforce engagement,” said Schwatka. “This project is about creating a framework that gives both managers/supervisors and workers a more active role in the safety and well-being initiatives at their workplace.”
“Our project aims to address this challenge through a toolkit that helps contractors plan, design, and implement changes unique to their work and workforce. The upside for workers is that this project gives them a seat at the table throughout the process,” said Schwatka.
The team will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the toolkit with eight contractors. After evaluation, the team aims to disseminate the toolkit, mainly through intermediary organizations such as unions, contractor associations, professional safety and health associations, workers’ compensation insurers, and, most importantly, OSHA.
“We are creating a resource that empowers everyone on a construction site to take an active role in safety and health,” said Liliana Tenney, DrPH, MPH, co-investigator on the project. “This toolkit is not just about solving immediate issues; it is about building a culture where workers and management unite to co-create long-lasting, positive change. By focusing on sustainability, we’re equipping construction teams to support well-being long after the project ends.”
By adopting this evidence-based and collaborative model, the researchers hope to influence lasting changes in the construction industry’s approach to worker health, safety, and well-being, ultimately contributing to reduced injury rates and improved workforce health overall.
About the Centers for Health, Work & Environment
The Centers for Health, Work & Environment (CHWE) educate and train future leaders, conduct research, and design and implement practical solutions to occupational safety and health challenges with its partners. The Centers collaborate with faculty, students, and community partners to advance worker health, safety, and well-being. Part of the Colorado School of Public Health, it is home to one of 10 nationwide Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health®, the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) and the Climate Impacts on Worker Health & Safety (CIWHS) Center.
The Centers’ main offices are located at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.