Developing Training Resources to Protect Workers from COVID-19
The ask: In response to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) requested assistance developing a series of training tools to help workers in health care and non-health care industries protect themselves from COVID-19.
The solution: MDB’s subject matter experts worked with WTP-funded organizations to develop numerous training tools related to COVID-19. In early 2020 as COVID-19 infection rates increased, MDB quickly developed the general awareness training tool “Protecting Yourself from COVID-19 in the Workplace.” MDB later developed tools to help essential workers and others protect themselves as they returned to work during the pandemic, including “Building Programs to Protect Workers from COVID-19 in the Workplace.” Additionally, MDB developed fact sheets to debunk vaccine myths and help provide vaccine safety information for workers, vaccinators, and vaccine administrators. These tools and others make up the growing list of resources in the WTP COVID-19 Toolbox. Some of the resources in the toolbox are available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Notable outcomes: MDB continues to develop new tools and expand the breadth of tools in the WTP COVID-19 Toolbox as more worker health and safety issues arise. In 2021, new tools like the COVID-19 Brief: Addressing Occupational Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Variants and other briefs were developed to provide technical information and guidance to employers and health and safety professionals.
