Society for Total Worker Health™ members are at the forefront of applying the Total Worker Health® approach to advance worker well-being. This peer learning series will elevate evidence-based practices and highlight professionals who are actively applying the Total Worker Health (TWH) approach within their organizations and workforce. The goal is to provide a forum for peer-to-peer learning. Each event focuses on a specific industry or topic related to TWH. After this meeting, you will be able to:
- Describe evidence-based strategies to applying the TWH approach in the construction industry
- Describe how one construction company has applied the TWH approach
This is not a passive learning experience. The format is built for all participants to engage in the discussion together after the brief presentations to learn from each other and guest speakers invited from industry and the TWH community.
Moderator: Natalie Schwatka, PhD
Dr. Natalie Schwatka’s primary research focus is on the how the working environment – business strategies, leadership practices, and organizational climate – can be used to protect and promote workers’ health, safety, and well-being, called a TWH approach. She is interested in intervention, dissemination, and implementation research. Dr. Schwatka is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Colorado School of Public Health where she teaches TWH courses. She is the Director of the NIOSH Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) Certificate in TWH program. She also serves as the Research Core Director of the Center for Health, Work & Environment's TWH Center of Excellence where she directs the TWH Pilot Project Program.
Subject Matter Expert: Jack Dennerlein, PhD
Trained as an engineer, Dr. Jack Dennerlein’s research examines how design impacts health. His work is grounded in modern day ergonomic and occupational biomechanics. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Dennerlein’s background has expanded to include public health. Much of his research aims to prevent work-related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Dennerlein specializes in ergonomics and safety and occupational biomechanics, and his research interests include worker safety, health, and well-being. Dr. Dennerlein is Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement & Rehabilitation Sciences and an affiliated faculty member in the department of bioengineering at Northeastern University and associate director of the Center for Work, Health, and Well-being, a NIOSH Total Worker Health Center of Excellence.
Industry Representative: Nick Williams
Nick Williams is the Director of Operations at Absolute Caulking and Waterproofing Inc., an award-winning premier division 7 waterproofing commercial contractor with 40 employees. He served 6 years as the chair of the American Subcontractor’s Association of Colorado: Health and Safety Committee and is former Board President. Since 2022, Nick has supported the construction industry as chair of the Mental Health Task Force at the Associated General Contractors of Colorado. Nick is a graduate of CU Boulder with two bachelor’s degrees in literature and philosophy. He spends most of his free time with family and friends, in nature, playing trivia, and aggressively consuming all things pop culture.
