Regional Centers for Public Health Preparedness and Response- HWWTP

P2R CONSORTIUM HWWTP ABSTRACT Nationally, an estimated 344 workers die each day due to job injuries and illnesses; although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 15 worker deaths per day as a result of traumatic injuries, this figure does not account for deaths due to occupational diseases and non-traumatic injuries. Workers in the Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (P2R) Consortium geographic focus area – comprised of 11 contiguous states from the Canadian to the Mexican border (also known as Public Health Regions 6 and 8) – confront substantial sociodemographic and economic vulnerabilities that can place them at risk on the job. Some states in this focus area experience some of the lowest levels of educational attainment and median household incomes and highest levels of poverty in the U.S. These states comprise 17.0% of the total U.S. workforce, but account for 21.3% of occupational fatalities. Established in 2010, the P2R Consortium Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program (HWWTP) trains workers who are or will be engaged in hazardous waste operations or emergency response. The consortium is comprised of dedicated experts in the safety disciplines that are critical to enhancing occupational health and worker well-being. These experts, along with an active advisory board, share an overall vision to reduce work- related harm and improve disaster preparedness and response. In the HWWTP, the consortium team operationalizes this vision via two long-term goals to: (1) identify and mitigate threats relating to hazardous substances and (2) reduce harm through scientifically sound and culturally appropriate curriculum and teaching methods that emphasize hands-on and simulation-based activities. Since August 1, 2020 (the beginning of the current project period), the P2R Consortium HWWTP has delivered 482 courses to almost 23,000 participants, which represents over 52,000 contact hours of training. Based on this experience, the consortium team has proven it is skilled at reaching intended audiences and developing and delivering high-quality, timely, relevant, and practical training. Over the next five-year project period, the P2R Consortium will expand its reach to include informal workers, expand its subject matter to diversify its training to include emerging topics critical to worker health and safety, and deliver more than 200 courses to train over 9,000 workers each year.