Introduction to NIOSH

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) works under the umbrella of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NIOSH was also created as part of the 1970 OSH Act, and its mission is global in scope. NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations to prevent worker injury and illness.

NIOSH routinely works with worldwide government health laboratories and other member nations in the World Health Organization (WHO). NIOSH identifies workplace issues that can cause illness or injury and creates standards for the WHO member countries. NIOSH also works hand in hand with OSHA to identify workplace illnesses and to track diseases that can be passed from one person to another in the work environment. One of the most significant areas of research at NIOSH is communicable disease research.