IAFF Local 43 - Portland Fire Fighters Association

This firefighters’ union is an essential partner in research conducted at the Institute. Firefighters support research conducted by Institue faculty member, Dr. Nicole Bowles by engaging their members to provide personal data to allow systematic examination and connection between work schedules and psychosocial and physical health.

Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) is partnering with the Institute on the development of the Respectful Workplace Initiative with Institute faculty member Dr. Emily Huang. This work supports BOLI’s goal of developing and retaining a diverse workforce in the construction industry. BOLI is working with faculty and staff on the development of a Respectful Workplace Climate Scale and a Respectful Resource Hub. These tools will work in tandem to address the challenges of discrimination, bullying, and harassment in the construction industry.

Oregon Department of Transportation

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is partnering with the Institute and Dr. Emily Huang on the development of the Respectful Workplace Initiative. This work supports ODOT’s goal of developing and retaining a diverse workforce in the highway construction industry. ODOT is working with faculty and staff on the development of a Respectful Workplace Climate Scale and a Respectful Resource Hub. These tools will work in tandem to address the challenges of discrimination, bullying, and harassment in the construction industry.

Oregon Home Care Commission

Dr. Ryan Olson and his research teams have worked with the Oregon Home Care Commission for over a decade to advance the safety, health, and well-being of home care workers. The Commission was a key collaborator in the original research to develop and evaluate the COMmunity of Practice And Safety Support (COMPASS) program. The Commission adopted COMPASS in their training system, making the program accessible to more than half of home care workers in the state of Oregon. Their partnership includes support for the ongoing translational research project to develop a special version of COMPASS for workers experiencing chronic pain. 

Oregon Health and Science University

Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) is the home of the Institute but also serves as an important research and implementation partner to a number of our researchers and their projects. Dr. Leslie Hammer developed the Workplace Mental Health Support Training and OHSU adopted and makes use of the training for supervisors across the organization. 

Oregon National Guard

The Oregon National Guard partnered with Dr. Leslie Hammer on the Oregon Military Sleep and Health Study. This partnership focused on understanding the role of supervisors in supporting National Guard soldiers, airmen, and their families’ sleep health and was based on the development and validation of a family-supportive and sleep-supportive supervisor computer-based training program. The study produced tools that address the safety, health, and well-being of service members and their families. 

Oregon Occupational Health and Safety Administration

The Insitute is engaged with Oregon OSHA in many ways. Oregon OSHA leadership serves as an essential voice on the Institute’s Advisory Board. They are a primary partner in the Total Worker Health® Alliance and the delivery of TWH educational programs. Oregon OSHA partners with the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OR-FACE) to collaboratively investigate Oregon workplace fatalities. Institute faculty and staff regularly disseminate research-informed tools and resources to employers at Oregon OSHA meetings throughout the state. 

Portland Fire and Rescue

This fire bureau has worked extensively with Dr. Nicole Bowles as a participatory research partner to systematically examine the association between work schedule and psychosocial determinants of sleep and its relationship to work/family balance, sleep duration/quality, safety, and cardiovascular risk. With this partnership, Dr. Bowles can collect comprehensive data from firefighters and their families to systematically examine the impact of the 24 24-hour on/48 hours off work schedule vs. the 24-hours on/72 hours off/48 hours on/72 hours off schedule.

Portland State University

The Institute enjoys a strong, multi-faceted partnership with Portland State University (PSU). Training future health and safety professionals is central to this partnership. Several Institute faculty members teach in the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. PSU’s graduate program Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate program works collaboratively with the Institute staff to plan and facilitate bi-annual day-long symposia directed at practitioners and students in the field. Graduate and undergraduate interns from PSU work with Institute researchers. Faculty from both educational programs at PSU serve on the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences' advisory board.

SAIF Corporation

SAIF Corporation is a primary partner in the Total Worker Health^® Alliance. Institute and SAIF educators regularly co-create and co-facilitate several Total Worker Health^® courses and other educational programs. SAIF also disseminates Institute-developed educational materials through their training portal. 

Service Employees International Union

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 (Portland, OR) supported the original COMPASS program research with home care workers that is led by Dr. Ryan Olson. Support included providing researchers with early guidance and feedback, assistance in recruiting pilot study participants, and free use of union hall rooms for COMPASS activities for several years. The SEIU 775 Benefits Group (Seattle, WA) is a key partner in the ongoing translational research project to develop and evaluate COMPASS for Navigating Pain, a special version of the program tailored to the needs of workers experiencing chronic pain.

University of Washington

The University of Washington (UW), Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety is the administrative home to the Total Worker Health^® Certificate Program. This curriculum is collaboratively developed and delivered by educators with the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, the UW Pacific Northwest OSHA Education Center, and Portland State University’s Industrial/Occupational Health Psychology program. The Institute collaborates with the UW, Pacific Northwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center program to mutually support and collaboratively offer programs and other outreach in the Pacific Northwest.