NIOSH reviews FACE program expansion as states weigh broader fatality reporting role
NIOSH is evaluating future options for its FACE program, and an agency official said there may be room to add more state participation. The program investigates select fatalities and shares prevention recommendations.
Key Facts
- NIOSH is evaluating future opportunities for its Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program.
- The FACE Program investigates select workplace fatalities and shares hazards and prevention recommendations.
- Donald Peterson, director of the Division of Safety Research at NIOSH, discussed the program during a May 4 kickoff webinar for the 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.
- State health and labor departments have participated in the program since 1989.
- California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington currently participate.
What Happened
NIOSH is reviewing future opportunities for its Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program, or FACE, with one agency official saying he hopes the program could expand at the state level.
The report said Donald Peterson, director of the Division of Safety Research at NIOSH, addressed the issue during a May 4 kickoff webinar for the 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.
Why It Matters
FACE is a national research effort focused on preventing workplace injuries and deaths by investigating select fatalities and publishing hazards and prevention recommendations. For employers, that makes the program a practical source of incident learnings rather than a rulemaking action.
For chemical sites, labs, and industrial operations, more state participation could broaden the pool of incident lessons available to safety teams, especially where operations rely on similar equipment, work practices, or contractor activity across multiple jurisdictions.
Key Details
Peterson said NIOSH is working through a strategy review to understand where FACE has been, including its successes, gaps, and limitations, and where it is going.
He also said part of that review is determining whether there are opportunities for NIOSH to engage more states in the program.
- State health and labor departments began participating in FACE in 1989.
- Current participating states are California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
- The program conducts investigations and issues recommendations at the state level.
What To Watch Next
Watch for any NIOSH decisions on whether to expand state participation and how that could affect the volume and geographic spread of FACE investigations.
Operational teams should also track whether future FACE findings surface recurring hazards relevant to fall protection, contractor oversight, and other high-risk activities on industrial and lab sites.
Alliance's Take
If FACE participation expands, buyers and EHS teams may see more state-level investigation reports that can inform contractor qualification, fall-protection specs, and site safety reviews.
Keep these reports in the safety toolbox: they can help standardize controls across facilities and support root-cause reviews after serious incidents.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is NIOSH FACE?
FACE is NIOSH’s Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program, which investigates select workplace fatalities and shares prevention recommendations.
Which states currently participate in FACE?
California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Washington currently participate.
Why should industrial and lab sites care about FACE?
FACE findings can highlight hazards and controls that help prevent similar incidents, especially for high-risk work such as fall-related tasks and contractor operations.
