Employers in the Midwest struggling with workplace health and safety issues now have a stronger ally in their efforts to promote a safer and healthier workforce. The University of Iowa is pleased to announce the expansion and launch of the Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest, in partnership with the Dr. Evanoff’s Occupational Safety and Health Research group at Washington University in St. Louis and the Nebraska Safety Council. Funded by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health since 2006 to address Total Worker Health, the Center serves a resource for policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with health promotion to advance worker well-being. Workers in the Midwest experience more work-related injuries and illnesses than in other parts of the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The region also has higher rates of unhealthy behaviors such as heavy alcohol consumption and obesity than other areas of the country, with high rates of occupational fatalities. The Center will address these critical issues through research and outreach efforts, focusing mainly on small businesses and the construction industry. The Center is directed by Diane Rohlman, PhD, at the University of Iowa; Dr. Bradley Evanoff, MD, MPH, serves as the Associate Director. (CDC/NIOSH 5U19 OH008868-11, PI: Rohlman; WU PI: Evanoff)