Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety - NEC

07/15/2025

Today, our Director Julie Sorensen is in NYC presenting to the UN on drowning prevention practices in the Northeast!

Tune in this afternoon at 1:15 p.m. EST for a look at our work and the progress being made around the world to promote the safety of commercial fishermen.

Side event on 'Advancing Evidence-Based Solutions for Drowning Prevention in Fisheries and the Blue Economy' in the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum.

06/16/2025

Women in ag across the Northeast: SUNY Morrisville graduate students want to hear from you! Through the survey linked below, their goal is to better understand the pivotal moments, professional development opportunities, and persistent challenges women encounter on their journeys to leadership roles in the industry.

Informed Consent

06/05/2025

Very excited to share the big rebrand announcement on behalf of our NYCAMH colleagues! Be sure to check out the new and improved nycamh.org for a great look at all their hard work over the past few months.

We've been holding on to a big announcement...

NYCAMH is rebranding! After many months of hard work, we are proud to unveil our new logo.

We’re still the same NYCAMH you’ve come to know and trust since 1988; we’re just looking a little different these days. We are thrilled to finally introduce you to our new look and hope you are just as excited as we are.

05/20/2025

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month! At the NEC, we see the difficulties farmers and farmworkers face when it comes to caring for their mental health. This interview by AgProud is a great look at why it's so important to talk about it and what it means in the farming community.

The phrase “mental health” is becoming more talked about in the agriculture industry, but it’s still a subject that often leads to feelings of discomfort and embarrassment.

05/13/2025

Last week, five NEC/NYCAMH staff members attended the Northeast Ag Safety and Health Coalition (NEASHC) spring meeting in State College, PA alongside educators from five other states in the Northeast. The coalition participated in traditional education as well as on-farm learning opportunities thanks to our friends at Penn State!

05/12/2025

Today's Farm to Fork episode from North Shore Productions features an interview with our colleague Dr. Jeff Bender from the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center: https://www.northshoreproductions.com/index_htm_files/farmtofork-051225.mp3

In just over two minutes, Dr. Bender highlights the importance of the Agricultural Health and Safety Centers around the country and what the farm community will stand to lose if proposed cuts to NIOSH proceed.

04/28/2025

Today, April 28, is Workers Memorial Day, in honor of those who have lost their lives on the job. This day also commemorates the adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. securing the right to a safe working environment for every worker, in every industry.

Agriculture and forestry are two of the most dangerous industries for workers in the United States. At the Northeast Center, we believe workers in these industries deserve the chance to make a living without occupational risk.

With the publication of our 2024 Northeast Agricultural and Logging Fatality Report, we recognize that each person represented is a tragic loss and we honor their memory in our mission to prevent future fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.

https://necenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEC-Fatality-Report-2024-web.pdf

04/24/2025

Registration is now open for our next Fields of Knowledge session with NEC Research Scientist Dr. Conor Hammersley! On May 1, our moderated panel will discuss the impact of Technology and Mechanization on the ag industry. Register today at the link below.

Join us on May 1 for our next Fields of Knowledge: Conversations about Farmer Health and Safety! This session's panel will discuss Technology and Mechanization, opening a conversation about the role of technological advancements in agriculture and their influence on farm health and safety.

Register today at https://bassett.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2gd0es-2Q6uNKrAdUEAo4g #/registration

See you there!

04/16/2025

Wondering about the recent cuts to NIOSH? Check out this great message by our colleague in Michigan. This short video is a must-watch introduction to the impact on centers like ours that receive research funding from NIOSH.

"What if I told you that for just $2.20 per worker annually, we could prevent workplace injuries and illnesses that cost our economy $250 billion each year?"...

04/15/2025

This summer, our friends at Penn State are offering a Large Animal Rescue Training (LART) that will include extensive hands-on exercises and classroom instruction. This training is provided at no cost to anyone interested in participating! Classes are limited to 30 participants each. Enroll by May 15th to secure your spot!

For more information: https://drive.google.com/.../1d.../view

To register, visit: https://redcap.ctsi.psu.edu/surveys/?s=RETL9WT4PRYL43NR

04/04/2025

The vast majority (92%) of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) workforce was terminated this week — abruptly ending over 50 years of critical infrastructure and programs that protected workers, reduced fatalities, and helped primary producers save millions in costs associated with workplace injuries, illnesses, and premature deaths. NIOSH is often highlighted as having one of the highest returns on federal investments, with a per worker cost of $2.00 annually.
These cuts will be costly and have devastating impacts — especially for our farmers, loggers, and commercial fishermen, who work in some of the most high-risk environments in the country.

At the Northeast Center, NIOSH-funded programs have made a measurable difference in supporting the safety and wellbeing of these communities, for instance:

- the ROPS Rebate Program (Roll-Over Protective Structures), which has been credited with saving over 28 lives and millions in healthcare costs by helping farmers retrofit older tractors with life-saving protective equipment.
- The Lifejacket for Fishermen program, which was developed hand in hand with fishermen and provides fishermen approved lifejackets for reduced or no cost. This program has already saved fishermen from drowning while working at sea.
- the Maine Logger Health and Safety Study, where nearly 400 Maine Loggers took part in research. The project demonstrated that mechanization has likely contributed to cardiovascular disease risks that were previously unknown. Cardiovascular disease prevention and access to healthcare efforts are underway in response to this discovery.

Without NIOSH, the already fragile networks that serve so many regional workers — from mental health outreach to injury prevention— will unravel.

These workers provide essential resources for Americans, cutting their lifeline to health and safety isn’t just shortsighted — it will be catastrophic. Contact your Congressional representatives to let them know about the importance of NIOSH. https://fiscalnote.com/find-your-legislator

03/21/2025

Join us for “Fields of Knowledge: Conversations about Farmer Health and Safety”, a paneled discussion addressing succession planning and farm transitions. We welcome farmers, farm families, agricultural service providers, and anyone invested in the well-being of rural communities. This session explores the communication challenges and family dynamics that arise during farm succession, highlighting the value of structured, collaborative transition plans. To register and find out more: https://necenter.org/2025/03/21/northeast-center-launches-new-discussion-series-on-farmer-health-and-safety-2-2/