The Rutgers Center for Public Health Workforce Development promotes individual, workplace, and community well-being through training, education, and outreach.
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2022-2023 EFFECT RIPPLE
ACADEMIC YEAR IMPACT REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 4 5 6 8
Director’s Message
Our Staff
Dean’s Message
Atlantic OSHA Training Center
Atlantic Center for Occupational Health and Safety Training
13 14 15 17 18 23 26 28 30 32 35 35
New Research on Disaster Readiness Training
NY/NJ Education and Research Center
Course List
About Our Trainees
Our Instructors
Region 2 Public Health Training Center
2022 - 2023 Timeline Five Minutes to Help
LGBTQIA+ Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative Community Living Education Project Seizure Recognition and First Aid Course Connecting Public Health and Disability Services
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Cover photo credits: Ray Clinkscale, Megan Rockafellow-Badoni, and William Sawyer
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
Promoting individual, workplace, and community well-being through training, education, and outreach.
One interaction can change the world. We never really know the full impact of what we do, and how that impact ripples out to families, friends, workplaces, and beyond. The work we do at the Center for Public Health Workforce Development prevents disease and promotes health and well-being across communities and populations. We know that health and well-being are foundational to how each person lives their life, and collectively, allow our communities to flourish. We are proud to say 23,067 people were trained by us during the 2022-2023 academic year. Each person is irreplacable and important to the people in their lives. If our occupational safety and health courses keep them from getting injured on their jobs, and they live longer, healthier lives as a result, is it possible to know the true impact of that? Probably not. If our outreach efforts create safer communities for people to live, work, and play, is it possible to quantitatively measure the difference that made? Probably not. If we provide skills and knowledge to people working on the frontlines of public health, and they in turn improve vaccination rates or prevent the spread of disease, can we know how those improved lives shaped others? Probably not. We do our best to measure and track the work that happens here at the Center, but acknowledge that even the best data is probably only scratching the surface. Because what starts here spreads outwards, much like a hundred stones dropped in a pond. Each ripple leads to the next, creating impact along the way.
This second Impact Report produced by the Center for Public Health Workforce Development summarizes the year, but more importantly, it contains stories about real people and the difference the Center made in their personal and professional lives. I invite you to meet a few of the people behind the numbers, who were gracious enough to share their experiences with us. Their words break our impact down to the most granular level: 23,067 individuals, each of whom probably has an equally compelling story to tell. Each of whom creates their own ripple outwards. Thank you for your interest in their stories, and our collective story as the Center for Public Health Workforce Development.
MITCHEL A. ROSEN, PhD DIRECTOR
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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OUR STAFF
Mitchel A. Rosen, PhD, CHES, Director Koshy Koshy, PhD, Center Manager Megan Cahill, Head Clerk Marie Dessanti-Huang, MPH, Program Coordinator Gina Gazitano, Program Coordinator Kendra Julien, MPH, Program Coordinator Mary Kneuer, Training and Consultation Specialist Gail Lavan, Data Control Clerk
Ann Martinelli, MADS, Training and Consultation Specialist Philip T. McCabe, CSW, CAS, Health Education Specialist Melanie McGackin, Senior Training and Consultation Specialist Colleen McKay Wharton, MA, MCHES, Program Manager AnnaBelle Perricho, Administrative Assistant Stacey Porter, Program Administrator Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni, PhD, MPH, Administrative Director of Research and Evaluation Clarissa Roper-Davis, Administrative Assistant William Sawyer, Technician Maria Schiavello, Training and Consultation Specialist Natalie C. Trump, Program Director of Education and Training Laura Warne, MA, Communications Specialist Bonnie Wilson, Registrar
Photo credits: Ray Clinkscale
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Photo credit: Paul Gogliormella, Rutgers Institutional Planning and Operations
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
What is the most meaningful part of your job?
The most meaningful part is getting to know trainees, how they work, and how we can help them work safer.
Marie Dessanti-Huang
I find satisfaction in coordinating and facilitating monthly webinars tailored for governmental public health professionals. These sessions delve into diverse health topics, and it’s rewarding to know that participants acquire new knowledge on vital health issues and extend this information to benefit the wider community.
Kendra Julien
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The most meaningful thing I do is help students become outreach trainiers, who then go on to provide their students with the training necessary to to ensure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.
The Center for Public Health Workforce Development is a place of learning, where workers learn how to do their jobs more safely. It is a place for public health professionals to turn to for continuing education and professional support and growth. It is a place that advances the ideals that are necessary for people to live longer, healthier lives, safe from harm and free of barriers that limit what is possible.”
Gina Gazitano
When trainees leave our class feeling empowered to act to protect their own health and safety and the safety of others at work.
Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni
Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, Dean Hunterdon Professor of Public Health and Health Equity Distinguished Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology Rutgers School of Public Health
It’s so meaningful to have conversations with trainees who have taken our courses or people who have attended our events and benefited as a result.
Laura Warne
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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ATLANTIC OSHA TRAINING CENTER
OSHA-authorized construction and general industry safety courses for workers and safety educators
The Atlantic OSHA Training Center (AOTC) is a collaboration between the Rutgers School of Public Health, Center for Public Health Workforce Development, located in Somerset, NJ; the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Toxicology Research Center, located in Buffalo, NY; and Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM), located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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The Center offers trainings on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campuses to thousands of workers across industries, including construction, general industry, and maritime safety. The AOTC also offers subject matter courses on topics such as respiratory protection, excavation safety, scaffolding, cranes, and machine guarding. Through an Outreach Trainer Program, the AOTC also has the authorization to train and award safety professionals the distinction of being OSHA-authorized trainers. This program equipts trainers with the necessary skills to effectively share their safety knowledge with others. Excellence Recognized The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), US Department of Labor, has designated the AOTC as an authorized OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center since 2003. In October 2022, in recognition of the quality training the Center provides, OSHA renewed the Center’s authorization to continue teaching OSHA courses for an additional five years.
The [Center’s] Safety and Health Specialist Certificate
is the highest level of certificate you can earn to show your broad-based OSHA Regulations knowledge in the industry. It allows me to demonstrate why my safety recommendations are meaningful.” - Jared Shapiro DrPH(c), PhD(c), MPH, CEM, HEM, FAcEM, CHSP, CHFM, NRP Associate Vice President Environmental Health and Safety Montefiore Health System
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PROFILE
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
TRAINEE PROFILE: DEBRA SALTERS
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Keeping Others Safe, On and Off the Construction Site
I love the interaction with the different people I met [in the course], all coming from different industries. The peer-to-peer interaction and all the different life experiences in the room. We literally come from all walks of life and the instructor, Tony Valente, was able to guide the class so well. I soaked up things like a sponge.”
5,427 Debra shared that one of the best parts about coming to the Center for an in-person course is the chance to meet and connect with her fellow students. “I love the interaction with the different people I met, coming from different industries. The peer-to-peer interaction and all the different life experiences in the room. We literally come from all walks of life and the instructor, Tony Valente, was able to guide the class so well. I soaked up things like a sponge.” 83 Debra Salters has worked in the construction industry her whole life. Her uncle had his own construction company, and she loved to work alongside him. Her dad was a mechanic and he put great emphasis on teaching her to be independent and able to rely on herself. Thanks to all her uncle and dad taught her, Debra says she feels proud to hold her own and thrive in a male-dominated industry. Today Debra has her own business, Saving Lives Vigorously. She teaches safety: CPR, First Aid, AED, and she wants to expand into teaching construction safety. She calls herself a “natural teacher” and cares deeply about helping people. “Not enough people care… I’m in a position where I can save a life.” Passing Skills and Knowledge On to Others Indeed, Debra’s skills are often urgently needed. She shared a story about a recent experience when she was driving and saw a woman passed out on the street surrounded by a crowd of people. She pulled over and asked if anyone had performed CPR. A couple of people said that wanted to, but they didn’t know how. For Debra, helping people is second nature. “This is what I do. Even my card says, ‘people are my passion.’” Adding construction safety to Debra’s skill set is a logical next step. “Now I can train construction workers as well as anyone in the industry in OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, which is required to work on a construction site. It allows me to train, which is what I do on a daily basis.” An Unbeatable Classroom Experience
- Debra Salters, OSHA Outreach Trainer
139 New OSHA Outreach Trainers
Interesting Statistic #1 Construction Safety, Occupational Health and Occupational Safety Courses
Construction Safety, Occupational Health and Occupational Safety Trainees
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When disaster strikes or hazardous materials are in the job description, workers need training they can count on ATLANTIC CENTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING
Hazardous Work Made Safer The Atlantic Center for Occupational Health and Safety Training (Atlantic COHST) is based at the Center and provides training to prevent work related injuries and disease due to the potential hazards and exposures that may occur during hazardous waste operations and emergency response activities, disaster response, and for those entering an environmental career. Continuous funding is provided by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences since 1987. The Atlantic COHST makes it possible for workers in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands to participate in high-quality training.
Training Partners Across Sectors The Atlantic COHST includes training partners from academia, labor, and the public sector including Make the Road New York, Migrant Clinicians Network, New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Work Environment Council (NJ WEC), New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), New York District Council of Carpenters Training Center, New York University School of Global Public Health, Northeast New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NENYCOSH), Rutgers Global Health Institute, State University of New York at Buffalo, Universidad Ana G. Mendez, and World Cares Center.
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
TRAINEE PROFILE: KARIMA JACKSON
A Cleaner Newark, One Property at a Time
Karima Jackson is the President of Exquisite Property Services, located in Newark. Her company offers a myriad of services to the greater Newark area: appliance and scrap removal, construction clean-up, waste and recycling disposal, and janitorial services. In order to safely grow her company, she and one of her employees enrolled in the Center for Public Health Workforce Development’s 40-Hour Hazardous Waste course. Exquisite Cleaning is a newly registered A901 solid waste hauling company and they want to expand to hazardous waste hauling and removal. Karima’s company philosophy is to build, grow, and deliver cleaner communities, one property at a time. As the company President, Karima doesn’t anticipate frequently needing to be hands-on with hazardous waste, but she needs the knowledge the course offers in order to ensure her company is run with the highest standards. In addition to running her company, Karima is a doctoral candidate at the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark, studying constitutional governance and social equity. One of the really cool things about this course is its not just textbook knowledge. It’s hands on, experiential learning, putting on a suit, and actually getting a feel for what this looks like in the field... It helps you learn and digest the information, which is extremely complicated but this makes it much easier.” “
- Karima Jackson President, Exquisite Property Services
All photos taken from 40-Hour Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel courses
Photo credits (left): Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni, Paul Gogliormella (Rutgers Institutional Planning and Operations)
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Photo credit (above left): Denis Crayon Photo credit (above right): Laura Warne
STAFF PROFILES: THE CENTER’S ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
The heart of our Center is our amazing administrative team. The team of administrative professionals are the first contact to many of our 23,000 students annually. From answering phones to scheduling courses to receiving and processing payments, to ordering supplies and assisting in countless other ways it to takes serious talent to pull off everything the Center for Public Health Workforce Development does. Meet the team that’s working behind the scenes to make it all come together. Meet the Team Behind the Scenes (and Computer Screens)
For nearly thirty years, Bonnie Wilson has been the face and the voice of the Center for Public Health Workforce Development. Through multiple office moves, her desk has always been at the entrance, and it is Bonnie who answers the Center’s main phone line. Many of the Center’s trainees come back year after year, and tell her that they are happy to have a familiar face to welcome them each time. As Registrar, Bonnie’s job is to help people register and pay for the courses they take at the Center. Many people prefer to have a person walk them through the enrollment process, rather than doing it online. Bonnie will be the first to tell you she’s happy to help people with questions or enroll them in courses herself. “That extra human touch is important for some people,” she explains. In thirty years, the biggest change she’s seen is the shift to online learning. “But even with online courses,” Bonnie explains, “that human touch is important.”
I love helping people. That’s my main thing. If I can help you, I will.” “ - Bonnie Wilson, Registrar
In 2022, when Office Administrator Cherie Ferguson announced her plans to retire after twenty-five years at the Center, the rest of the staff wondered how anyone could possibly fill Cherie’s impressive shoes. Thankfully Stacey Porter stepped into the role in June 2023 and made the transition as seamless as it could possibly be. Bringing the perfect combination of diligence, experience, and warmth to the role, in only a few months Stacey has proven she’s up for the challenge and has some impressive shoes of her own.
matter tomorrow.” “
As Office Administrator, Stacey’s job is to oversee the administrative staff and ensure the smooth running of the entire Center, including the administration of over 300 courses. Everything from maintaining the master calendar to processing payments to ordering office supplies falls under her purview. “We’re the fuel that keeps the office running,” she explains. “And we’re a great team.”
I like to know what I did today was meaningful and rewarding... to see it meant something and it’s going to
- Stacey Porter, Office Administrator
AnnaBelle Perricho plays a critical role in many different dimensions of the Center’s work. From coordinating communications between member institutions in the Atlantic OSHA Training Center (AOTC), to helping students with replacement OSHA cards, to facilitating online courses and assisting with offsite health and safety courses at private companies or businesses, AnnaBelle helps ensure Center operations run smoothly and efficiently. In her six years in the role, she’s seen the volume of courses and students grow exponentially and loves knowing that so many more people are benefitting as a result. Plus, after personally facilitating countless online courses, she vouches that “our instructors are really really good.” When students urgently need help because they’ve lost their OSHA card and are unable to work, helping them is really meaningful.” “ - AnnaBelle Perricho, Administrative Assistant
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
When Gail Lavan began working at the Center for Public Health Workforce Development in May 2022, she knew all too well the importance of worker safety and the impact it can have on people’s lives. Her father had worked his entire career in the construction field, and sadly witnessed a number of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, many of which could have been prevented with proper safety equipment, education, and training. She saw the toll that took on him throughout his career. This experience serves as an added motivation for Gail today in her role assisting the trainees who come to the Center. In addition to course registration and answering general inquiries, Gail maintains student records, processes paperwork, and creates course completion certificates so trainees have proof of their credentials. Her goal, she says, “is to create a smooth learning experience for all of our students. It is meaningful to be making a real difference through training and education.”
around them safe out in the field.” “ - Gail Lavan, Data Control Clerk
Knowledge is power. The training our course instructors provide to our students gives them the tools they need to help keep themselves and those
Since Clarissa Roper-Davis joined the Center staff in April 2023, she’s helped make the Center run even smoother, lending her many skills to existing administrative projects and assisting with online courses. The Center prides itself on offering high-quality online courses, and technical issues have the potential to disrupt that learning experience. Thankfully Clarissa joined a team of administrative staff who sit in on all online courses to make sure they go smoothly. If an instructor needs to share a link or file, needs help managing the chatbox, or needs help with any other aspect of the course, Clarissa is quick to help them out.
something to me.” “
Of this role, Clarissa says she’s happy to play a part in helping keep people at work safer. A former retail store manager, Clarissa once experienced firsthand how quickly things can go wrong at work. A pipe burst above her store, and she says she’ll never forget the first responders and other professionals who rushed in and got everyone out of the store safely. “They may have learned how to do that in a place like our Center. Now being able to help others learn those skills, it means something to me.”
I’m definitely not an instructor, but being able to support the people who can create a safer work environment means
- Clarissa Roper-Davis, Administrative Assistant
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For many trainees who come to the Center, the OSHA cards they receive at the end of the course are critical for their work. They prove that the individual has completed the required training and has basic knowledge in safety and health. For other trainees, who teach worker safety and health out in the field to other workers, these cards are also required part of their job.
The Center has changed immensely since I started in 2006. Many more classes, as well as staff, have been added. There are also more options on how to attend classes virtually or in-person.”
Megan Cahill is the person overseeing OSHA card processing and distribution, which is no small task. She estimates she mails out anywhere from 3,000 - 4,000 cards a month to trainees across our region. In addition to OSHA cards, Megan helps support and facilitate many of the Center’s online courses. If any questions or concerns come up during a course, she’s there to help. Even after working at the Center for seventeen years, she says the best part of her job is knowing students are getting properly trained and can go home safely to their families each night.
- Megan Cahill, Head Clerk
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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Training disaster workers leads to safer worker and safer communities.
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It is essential to identify and deliver core disaster training to responders and workers on a routine basis prior to an [emergency] event. The failure to provide preventative vital core training prior to has been recognized as a weakness in disaster response.”
Trainees conducting a rescue excercise during a 40-Hour Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel course
-Mitchel A. Rosen, PhD, CHES Director Center for Public Health Workforce Development
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Photo credit: Denis Crayon
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
Scan to read the article
NEW RESEARCH
Applying lessons learned from the past to national disaster readiness training
When it comes to disaster, emergency and pandemic response and recovery operations, it is crucial that workers are well prepared before there is an emergency. This is one of the key research findings published by Mitchel Rosen, PhD, Director and Megan Rockafellow- Baldoni, PhD, MPH, Administrative Director of Research and Evaluation, and their colleagues in the online June 2023 edition of New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy . Work as a social determinant of worker health In order to help ensure the health and safety of workers and workplaces, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) launched the NIEHS Worker Training Program in 1987. This Program funds a network of organizations and institutions that deliver high-quality, evidence-based safety and health training across the US and surrounding territories. The Center for Public Health Workforce Development has been a part of the Worker Training Program since 1987. Preparing for the worst When disaster strikes in the United States. workers from a variety of occupational sectors answer the call, including environmental clean-up workers, first responders, health care employees, industrial or construction workers, law enforcement officers, and transportation workers. Each emergency or disaster offers unique challenges to worker safety. Whether it is a terrorist attack, chemical spill, infectious disease outbreak, wildfire, or hurricane, there are a variety of hazards that can cause injury or illness. The goal is to ensure the health and safety of disaster responders through preparation for many different scenarios, and to use lessons learned from past events to prepare for the future. For example, the HAZMAT Disaster Preparedness Training Program was established in 2005 after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Having workers already trained for many different scenarios is essential to United States emergency and disaster-response infrastructure. However, acknowledging that it may be impossible to anticipate every scenario means creating a system for providing site-specific “on-the-ground” training to responders. This requires
that each region have its own trained specialists who can respond quickly to emergencies and disasters within their vicinity, not only to aid in the response, but also to ensure other responders do so as safely as possible. The Center for Public Health Workforce Development is proud to have trained thousands of such specialists from across the Tri-state area, who have answered the call after 9/11, numerous hurricanes, infectious diseases, and environmental clean- up operations. “As disasters strike, training should be supplemented with critical site-specific training to properly prepare responders and workers during the disaster as well as provide ongoing core training to prepare for the next disaster,” Rosen explains. Identifying persistent challenges In addition to establishing the importance of a prepared workforce, Rosen and Rockafellow-Baldoni’s research takes a close look at past emergencies and disasters, noting re-occuring and persistent weaknesses in readiness. For example, the adequate provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) was identified as a continued weakness in disaster and emergency response. This includes not only access to PPE, but also how to use it effectively. The challenge is twofold, as “responders must be prepared with an adequate supply of appropriate and properly fitting personal protective equipment and the training so they have the knowledge and skills on the proper use,” explains Rosen. Federal guidelines are also often inadequate during an emergency, because guidelines lack the legal responsibility of regulations. For example, in March 2020 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an alert and guidance document on identifying and controlling workplace exposure to COVID-19, that was deemed merely “advisory in nature.” A legally enforceable emergency temporary standard wasn’t issued for another fifteen months, in June 2021. Other lessons learned include ensuring communication systems are in place between offices, agencies and jurisdictions, and that information is available in multiple languages when needed. Proactive partnership building can allow responders to more effectively assist groups who are disproportionately impacted by emergencies and disasters.
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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Every day, 14 American workers suffer a work-related death and another 2,500 experience a disabling injury. We’re trying to change this. THE NEW YORK - NEW JERSEY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTER
A Partnership of Institutions The NYNJERC was established in 1978 through funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce work-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses by training new occupational safety and health professionals. The NYNJERC provides occupational safety and health graduate and continuing education. Together with the Rutgers School of Public Health, NYNJERC member institutions are: Mount Sinai’s Ichhn School of Medicine, NYU’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing, CUNY School of Public Health, and New Jersey Institute of Technology. The NYNJERC reduces work-related injuries and illnesses by researching interdisciplinary prevention strategies and educating professionals on best practices. We ensure our region has well-trained occupational health and safety professionals who can recognize, anticipate, evaluate and eliminate workplace hazards, as well as diagnose and treat those who are injured or made ill on the job.
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
ACADEMIC YEAR 2022 - 2023 COURSES
Atlantic Center for Occupational Health and Safety Training (Atlantic COHST) 40-Hour Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel Remediation Strategies and Technologies for Environmental Contamination Annual Refresher on Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel Hazardous Materials Transportation
Atlantic OSHA Training Center
OSHA 10-Hour Training Program for the Construction Industry OSHA 30-Hour Training Program for the Construction Industry OSHA 510: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry OSHA 511: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General lndustry OSHA 500: Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards for the Construction Industry OSHA 501: Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry OSHA 5400: Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for the Maritime Industry OSHA 5600: Disaster Site Worker Trainer OSHA 502: Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers OSHA 503: Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers OSHA 5402: Maritime Industry Trainer Update OSHA 5602: Update for Disaster Site Worker Trainer OSHA 521: OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene
Hazardous Waste Management-RCRA Training Supervisors of Hazardous Waste Operations Opioids in the Workplace: Awareness Mental Health and Resiliency for the Workplace
New York/New Jersey Occupational Safety and Health Center (NYNJERC)
NIOSH (#043) Spirometry Training NIOSH (#043) Spirometry Refresher
CAOHC-Approved Occupational Hearing Conservation Certification CAOHC-Approved Occupational Hearing Conservation Recertification New Jersey Lead Inspector and Risk Assessor New Jersey Lead Inspector and Risk Assessor Refresher Inspecting Buildings for Asbestos-Containing Materials (AHERA Inspector) Managing Asbestos in Buildings (AHERA Management Planner) Annual Refresher for AHERA Inspectors Annual Refresher for AHERA Management Planners
OSHA 2055: Cranes in Construction OSHA 2225: Respiratory Protection OSHA 2255: Principles of Ergonomics
OSHA 2264: Permit-Required Confined Space Entry OSHA 3015: Excavation, Trenching, and Soil Mechanics OSHA 3085: Principles of Scaffolding OSHA 3095: Electrical Standards OSHA 3115: Fall Protection OSHA 7100: Introduction to Machinery and Machine Safeguarding OSHA 7115: Lockout/Tagout OSHA 7120: Introduction to Combustible Dust Hazards OSHA 7500: Introduction to Health and Safety Management OSHA 7505: Introduction to Incident (Accident) Investigation
New Jersey Asbestos Safety Technician Asbestos Safety Training for Custodial and
Maintenance Personnel (Operations & Maintenance) Asbestos Operations and Maintenance Refresher Asbestos Safety Training for Contractors-Supervisors Refresher Asbestos Safety Training for Workers-Handlers Refresher
of trainees report working safer because of the training they received at the Center
Above: Instructor Dr. Tom Butler and students in a NIOSH-Approved Spirometry Refresher course Photo credit: Laura Warne
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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Safety on the job leads to being able to go home to the people you care about.
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
TRAINEE DEMOGRAPHICS
+14 Foreign Countries
This year our trainees came from 47 different states, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, along with 14 foreign countries.
Total number of trainees 23,067
Total Instructor Contact Hours 66,900
Total number of courses taught 357
Trainees came from 14 foreign countries:
Percentage of trainees that routinely or often do the following:
Used references and resources from class Used equipment more effectively Used a skill or procedure learned in training
59% 75%
Bangladesh Canada
Jamaica Spain Trinidad and Tobago United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan
66% Planned work better to minimize health and safety hazards 82% Made decisions so that I work more safely 91% Discussed health and safety practices with coworkers 86%
China Egypt Greece Hungary India Italy
Percentage of trainees who agree with the following statements:
I learned a new skill or knowledge in the training
98% 96% 99%
I work safer because of the training
I am better able to assess hazards because of the training
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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OUR INSTRUCTORS
Gail Becker, PhD, CIH Thomas J. Butler, PhD, RRT, RPFT Brian K. Cichetti, CHST, CUSA Denis Crayon, COSM, CHST, COHC Martin Davis, BA Robert D. Dworkin, BS David Drozdov Mark Drozdov, MS, SSM, FSM, BSI, RSO, CAI, CMA, GPRO Michael J. Falvo, PHD, RCEP, CPFT
Michael Gochfeld, MD, PhD Hassim Mohammed, MS, BS Linda Monaco Margaret “Peg” Neville, BA, REHS Douglas Pastore, MS, CIH Michael Presutti, BA, Jonathan Rosen Alejandro “Alex” Ruiz, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM, SMS, CIT, CHST Diego Suarez Philip A. Taylor, MS, OHST, CHST Anthony Valente, BA, ESQ Frank Wartinger, Au.D., ABA-C, CPS/A Robert Weissman, MS, CSP Michael Zachowski, MS
“As always, a great experience. Been coming here 30 years with no intention to quit now!” “The instructor was wonderful! He made the curriculum easy to understand and applicable to our occupations.” “Very nicely done. Didn’t feel like a moment of my time was wasted today. Very meaningful interaction - THANK YOU!!” “The instructor kept everyone engaged and made it relatable to real life too!” “Instructor was very knowledgeable and able to answer questions with examples.” “This was probably the best/most effective training course I have ever attended. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable.” “The instructor...made the class fun and interesting. I enjoyed the class and would recommend to others.” “Course was great. The instructor did an amazing job over zoom and in-person.” “The course was extremely informative and helped to refresh many key aspects to developing an effective safety program.” I’ve been in the field for almost 10 years and this by far was the best training I have ever been to. The class felt like a community, or a family. I will be thinking of this training for a long time.”
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
Instructors train students who bring knowledge and skills to their workplaces.
Below: Instructor Denis Crayon leading a 4 0-Hour Health and Safety for Hazardous Waste Personnel course
Of trainees report being better able to assess hazards after their training 99%
Of trainees would recommend the Center to a colleague 98%
Of trainees report working safer after their training 96%
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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FACULTY PROFILE: KOSHY KOSHY
For students who are looking to take their safety and health education to the next level, the Rutgers School of Public Health offers a Master’s of Public Health degree in Occupational Safety and Health (MPH-OSH). In addition to managing the continuing education courses at the Center for Public Health Workforce Development, Center Manager Koshy Koshy, PhD, has served as the Concentration leader for the MPH-OSH program since 2017. At any one point, he advises roughly 25 students pursuing this degree. The 45-credit MPH degree in Occupational Safety and Health is focused on preparing students for a career reducing workplace risks and keeping workers safe from occupational hazards and natural and man-made disasters. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds and leave prepared to work in a number of industries, including manufacturing, construction and government service. Koshy inherited his passion for public health from his late grandfather, a local public health inspector. He earned his PhD in Environmental Sciences from Rutgers in 1997, Koshy went on to work in various staff roles at the Center before becoming faculty in 2008. Of teaching, Koshy says that the best part of teaching is learning from his students. He enjoys finding out about their different backgrounds and engaging them in the coursework. For Koshy, “using various methodologies to engage adults in the learning process is critical.” He teaches one concentration-required course, ENOH 0654: Occupational Safety and Workplace Risk Mitigation, and one concentration elective, ENOH 0657: Managing Hazardous Energy. This elective course combines four Center courses (OSHA 7115: Tag Out, OSHA 7100: Machinery Safeguarding, OSHA 2264: Confined Spaces, and OSHA 7505: Incident Investigation). Students are then required to apply their newly-acquired course knowledge to a real life workplace investigation and develop an after-action report to reduce the chances of such an event from happening again. Training the Next Generation of Occupational Safety Leaders
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A big part of the Master’s degree in Occupational
Safety and Health (MPH-OSH) is the Applied Practicum Experience (APE) and Capstone, where students work on addressing real- life workplace hazard issues. This is where my managing programs at the Center for Public Health Workforce Development and working with graduate students comes together. I have the opportunity to introduce students to courses as well as practitioners who can help them complete their practicum and possibly lead to future careers.“ - Koshy Koshy, PhD
Associate Professor and Program Manager, Center for Public Health Workforce Development, Rutgers School of Public Health
complexities of our regulatory standards.” “
The different training courses in ENOH 0657: Managing Hazardous Energy left me with more well-rounded proficiency, especially in the
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- Paxton Tsang, CSP, Rutgers School of Public Health MPH candidate
Center for Public Health Workforce Development
TRAINEE PROFILE: JOHNNY ORTEGA
Protecting and Serving, in the National Guard and Beyond
“
After twenty-three years of experience in the military, it would be easy to conclude that Major Johnny Ortega has seen and done it all when it comes to safety assessments and emergency response. From hurricanes to the COVID-19 pandemic to counterterrorism, listening to Johnny talk about his military experience is a crash course in preparing for what can go wrong—or already has. Planning for Worst Case Scenarios Ortega’s last deployment was to Somalia to serve as the Horn of Africa Safety Manager, where he conducted safety inspections and accident investigations. Back in New Jersey, Ortega worked as the National Guard’s liaison with the Office of Emergency Management when Hurricane Ida struck. When things aren’t going wrong (so-called “Blue Sky Operations”) Ortega helps plan safety trainings. He described an upcoming simulation in Newark that will necessitate cyber security and hazmat skills, and possibly many causalities. Intended as an exercise on communication between private and public sectors, most people’s nightmare is just another day on the job for Major Ortega. And Planning for What’s Next Despite all this experience, Ortega couldn’t stop thinking about the one experience he didn’t have: attending graduate school. But it isn’t always easy to squeeze in classes between his National Guard responsibilities. Nonetheless, Ortega decided to make it a priority, and with the help of his superiors in the National Guard and Program Director Koshy Koshy, has been able to check off the requirements for a Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health. With retirement from the military on the horizon, Ortega is thinking about what will come next. He wants to be able to help formerly incarcerated individuals get their OSHA training and find employment. He also knows there is a big need for Spanish-speaking OSHA trainers in the construction field, and is eager to complete the Center’s OSHA Outreach Trainer course. Even with Ortega’s impressive background, he says one of the best things about taking classes at the Center is his fellow students. “You meet so many great individuals from all variety of industries: electrical, PSEG, plumbing, and sewage. Picking their brains and networking is fascinating… All the students share the same passion for safety. It’s a pretty tight knit culture. It’s fascinating to talk to students and the knowledge they bring.” Safe to say that wherever Ortega goes from here, it will be with plenty of knowledge and passion of his own.
I’ve taken a wide range of courses. Dr. Koshy has been very instrumental and he understands my passion for safety and my goals to become the best safety professional I can be. Anytime there’s a training available he lets me know, and if my schedule permits I take it. ”
- Major Johnny Ortega Safety Officer, National Guard Emergency Management Liasion, Army National Guard
the knowledge they bring.” “
You meet so many great individuals from all variety of industries.… All the students share the same passion for safety. It’s a pretty tight knit culture. It’s fascinating to talk to students and
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- Major Johnny Ortega, Army National Guard
Center staff members Kendra Julien, Laura Warne, and Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni at the April 28, 2023 Rutgers School of Public Health Job Fair
Support for the public health workforce leads to being prepared for the next public health crisis.
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
Supporting the Current and Future Public Health Workforce in Their Work Building Healthier Communities THE REGION 2 PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING CENTER
Partners in Public Health The Center for Public Health Workforce Development is a proud member of the Region 2 Public Health Training Center (R2PHTC) consortium. The mission of R2PHTC is to assure a highly trained public health workforce in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. This Center assesses training needs of the public health workforce in local and state health departments; indentifies and develops new high-quality online trainings for governmental public health workers; and provides financial and technical support for public health students. The R2PHTC has been funded in varied iterations through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) since 2001. Technical Assistance for Local Health Departments As a result of federal funding, local health departments (LHDs) have hired essential staff to deliver public health services related to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The activities include community health assessments, education, disease investigation, expanded vaccination efforts, and many others. To help prepare staff for their new roles, the Center established a monthly technical assistance (TA) program, in partnership with the NJ Department Health, which hosts about 130 participants each month. The sessions are supported under the R2PHTC. These TA sessions have introduced topics such as identifying health data for local communities, cultural humility, working with priority
populations, communication skills, and grants management. The sessions also foster opportunities for peer-learning and resource- sharing. The sessions have contributed to staff understanding of the hyper- local context and nuances of the communities they serve. By enhancing workforce capacity, the sessions have helped ensure that all communities have fair and equitable access to information and resources, infectious disease testing and essential vaccines. Supporting the Next Generation Each year, the R2PHTC provides seven stipends for Master of Public Health (MPH) students completing field placements in medically underserved communities. Topics included rural health, measures against urban car idling, vaccine guidelines ,and monitoring child health. The Center is happy to support these students’ important work. High Quality Online Training The Center for Public Health Workforce Development is committed to ensuring public health professionals have a place to easily and effectively learn about critical public health issues through free monthly webinars. Each webinar offers public health, health education, and nursing continuing education credits. They are also recorded and shared online for future viewing. Almost 16,000 participated in these sessions, with still more viewing the recordings on YouTube.
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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EDUCATION AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Scan to view recordings of these webinars on our YouTube channel
Public Health Webinar Series
7/26/22
Stress, Burnout, and Dedication: The State of the Governmental Public Health Workforce
Moriah Robins, MPH and Kay Schaffer, MPH, de Beaumont Foundation
8/16/22
Prevention and Mitigation of Common Infectious Diseases in Schools and Childcare Centers Part I
Victoria Simpson, MPH, MSOH, GSP and Sarah Brodzinski, BSN, RN, CCM, New Jersey Department of Health
9/15/22 11/8/22
Democracy and Power: Why Voting Matters for Our Health
Jeanne Ayers, RN, MPH Healthy Democracy Healthy People
Childhood Lead in New Jersey: What Everyone Should Know
Siobhan Pappas, PhD, Childhood Lead Exposure and Prevention Program, New Jersey Department of Health Jennifer Shukaitis, MPH Assistant Professor/Educator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Andrea Spaeth, PhD Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Academic Director, Rutgers University Victoria Simpson, MPH, MSOH, GSP and Sarah Brodzinski, BSN, RN, CCM, New Jersey Department of Health Peter Antal, PhD, Antal Consulting, LLC and Karla Armenti, MS, ScD, Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire Robert Laumbach MD, MPH, CIH, DABT Associate Professor, Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Rutgers School of Public Health Victoria Simpson, MSOH, MPH, GSP and Tasnim Salam, MBE, MPH, New Jersey Department of Health
12/15/22
Portion Distortion
1/31/23
The Importance of Sleep for Health and Performance
2/21/23
Prevention and Mitigation of Common Infectious Diseases in Schools and Childcare Centers Part 2
3/21/23
Violence and Aggression in Healthcare
4/25/23
Indoor Air Quality: What Are You Breathing?
5/11/23
Infectious Disease 101 for School Nurses
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Center for Public Health Workforce Development
Public Health Nursing Summit
The 16th Annual Public Health Nursing Summit was held virtually on September 21, 2022 and had 135 participants. Patricia Woods, RN, MSN from the NJ Department of Health TB Program offered statewide Tuberculosis (TB) updates; Ditty Mae Jankauskas, RN, MSN, CRNP, Director of Public Health Nursing, Gloucester County Health Department, shared some challenges she faced working at large-scale COVID vaccination clinics. Sandy Cameron, BSN, MSN, Supervisor PHN, Passaic County Health Department, discussed challenges and success es working at Community Adult-Based COVID-19 clinics. Scott Carter, RN, BSN, MAS Chief, Administrative Services, Ocean County Health Department, shared challenges and success working at Youth based-clinics, and Cathy Jo Soden, DNP, APN-C, RN, Mercer County Division of Health, shared her challenges at Infant-focused efforts; Agatha Reidy, MSN, RN, MSHA, BC-NE Patient Care Administrator / DOH Virtua Health Promotion Services discussed home vaccination efforts. Lastly, MaryBeth Ali, MSW, LCSW, C-ASWCM- Rutgers University School of Social Work, shared guided meditation and stress management strategies. The 28th Annual Public Health Symposium, Environmental Justice: Confronting Environmental Disparities through a National and Local Lens , took place in-person at Rutgers University on April 3, 2023. 213 people attended the event. The speakers were Nicky Sheats, Ph.D., MPP, Esq.; Director, Center for the Urban Environment, Johns S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research, Kean University; Kandyce Perry, Director, Office of Environmental Justice, Department of Environmental Protection and Melissa Miles, MA, Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance This event coincided with National Public Health Week, and audience members included leaders from academia, community organizations, and local and state governmental public health organizations.
Public Health Symposium
New Jersey Immunization Conference
The 2023 New Jersey Immunization Conference, RISE Together: Advancing Childhood Immunization Rates through Collaboration was organized jointly with The New Jersey Department of Health, Vaccine Preventable Disease Program, and held virtually in a two-part format on June 6 and June 21, 2023. 462 people participated in the conference. Part 1 focused on the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, and Part 2 focused on innovative strategies and solutions for reaching local vaccination goals.
2022-2023 Academic Year Impact Report Learn more about us at rutgerstraining.sph.rutgers.edu
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ACADEMIC YEAR TIMELINE
OCTOBER
Two representatives from the Center, Mitchel Rosen and Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni, attended the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Fall 2022 Hybrid Meeting, “Examining the Changing Landscape of HAZWOPER Training” in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Mitchel Rosen presented “Looking Back, Looking Forward: How Did We Get Here and Where are We Going?” and Megan Rockafellow-Baldoni presented “Longtime HAZWOPER Trainees – Why People Take Our Training, Results from a Multi-Grantee Evaluation.” CLEP team members Melanie McGackin and Mary Kneuer staffed a CLEP exhibit table at the 2022 AutismNJ Conference in Atlantic City, sharing resources and information on community living with hundreds of attendees. Center Director, Mitchel Rosen, and Colleen McKay Wharton, Project Manager, attended the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Rosen presented about the Environmental Career Worker Training Program (ECWTP), which provides training in environmental restoration, construction, hazardous materials/waste handling, and emergency response and related certifications to more than 13,500 under- and unemployed individuals from 30 underserved communities nationwide. Colleen McKay Wharton presented on building health department capacity to serve those most impacted by COVID-19. Mitchel Rosen, Director, Marie Dessanti-Huang, Program Coordinator, and Laura Warne, Communications Specialist, represented the Center at the 2022 Northeast Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition in Princeton, New Jersey. Dr. Rosen moderated a panel discussion, “Heat Stress in the Workplace.” Center staff came together to celebrate the holidays over a delicious lunch and shared stories of their favorite childhood gifts. Beautiful decorations and a winter-themed photo booth made the event extra special. Center Director, Mitchel Rosen, was interviewed on the NIEHS Partnerships for Environmental Public Health Podcast, Environmental Health Chat, to discuss using technology in training to protect workers health. The podcast focused on the partnership between the Center and CellPodium, to enhance training using augmented reality with cell phone technologies.
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