Working Well
Conversations at the intersection of health and work
Working Well is a bi-monthly webinar series that highlights unique and shared challenges impacting workers across industries. Join safety professionals, policymakers, and experts in occupational health, safety, and well-being as we discuss the topics that matter the most to workers.
Every other month on the third Tuesday, Working Well will bring you the latest on emerging issues and pressing concerns in workplace safety; we'll introduce you to experts on topics at the intersection of work, health and life; and we'll connect you to ideas and information you can use in the workplace. Working Well addresses worker safety and health topics from a Total Worker Health® approach, which emphasizes hazard-free work for all and prioritizes designing work for optimal well-being.
Upcoming webinars in the 2024-2025 Working Well series
Too hot to work: How to protect workers from extreme heat and poor air quality
Virtual Webinar
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Registration is free and open to all
Extreme heat events have claimed more lives in the United States over the past 10 years than any other weather-related event. Climate models predict that climate change will lead to an increase in extreme heat events and associated air pollution episodes. During wildfire smoke or extreme heat events, people may also be exposed to increased levels of harmful air pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, and allergens such as pollen. Heat and air pollution tax human health in distinct ways and the ways we protect workers during heat and air pollution events are also distinct.
In this session, participants will explore what science tells us about the synergistic effects of extreme heat and poor air quality and how to prevent exposure to these hazards effectively.
Meet the presenters
Richie Evoy, Lead Wildland Firefighter Researcher at CDC/NIOSH Western States
Lieutenant Richard Evoy is an officer in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Western States Division (WSD) in Denver, CO. He is the lead researcher for wildland firefighter safety and health program at WSD. He received his PhD in Public Health from Oregon State University, a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology from Seattle Pacific University. Prior to joining NIOSH, his dissertation focused on the impact of heat, air pollution, and wildfire smoke on outdoor workers and adult asthmatics in Oregon.
Randall Westmoreland, Industrial Hygienist, Oregon OSHA
Randall Westmoreland is an Industrial Hygienist with the State of Oregon and has worked for OSHA for over 16 years. While the bulk of his career has been focused on serving businesses as a safety and health consultant, his doctorate is focused on researching the mediating and moderating factors of worker well-being and the relationships between such factors and measured outcomes. Burnout, as a variable, is one such phenomenon that has garnered contemporary attention. In contrast, supporting a worker's sense of accomplishment and autonomy can moderate independent antecedents that lead to burnout.
Pablo H. Palmández, Agricultural Research and Safety Extensionist, Pacific NW Agriculture and Safety Health Center, University of Washington
Pablo Palmández has been an Agricultural Research and Safety Extensionist with the PNASH Center since 2007. Mr. Palmández works within the farm community, linking farmers and farmworkers with PNASH’s expertise in agricultural research and safety. Mr. Palmández grew up in a rural coastal agricultural community in the Mexican Pacific Northwest, rising through his academic merit to study integrated pest management. Mr. Palmández combines his scientific, agricultural, and cultural background to provide leadership and education in the Yakima agricultural community.
Learn more about our work
Newsletter
Explore professional development opportunities, the latest updates from the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center and the Occupational Public Health Program, a research snapshot, and upcoming occupational health-focused events.
Blog
The Oregon and the Workplace blog features the latest from OccHealthSci research, professional development opportunities, and valuable insights from disciplines associated with occupational health, safety, and well-being.
Podcast
The What's Work Got to Do with It podcast, produced by OccHealthSci, brings together occupational health, safety, and well-being experts to discuss the latest topics relating to worker health, well-being, and safety in Oregon and beyond.