Every year, the Occupational Health and Safety Section presents four awards at the APHA Annual Meeting at our OHS Awards Luncheon. These awards are granted to highly deserving individuals or organizations that provide tireless advocacy for the health and safety of workers in the U.S. and internationally.
Alice Hamilton Award
Alice Hamilton (1869-1970) was considered the founder of occupational health in the U.S. and was a tireless activist and physician who dedicated her life to improving the health and safety of workers. She was committed to science, service and compassion. This award recognizes the life-long contributions of individuals who have distinguished themselves through a career of hard work and dedication to improve the lives of workers.
2023 Alice Hamilton Award winner: Karen Malloy, DO, MSCH
Lorin Kerr Award
Lorin Kerr (1909-1991) was a life-long activist and served for over 40 years as a physician for the United Mine Workers. He was dedicated to improving access to care for coal miners and other workers and to obtaining compensation for and preventing black lung disease. This award recognizes a new activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts and dedication to improve the lives of workers.
2023 Lorin Kerr Award winner: Ingrid Denis, MS, LCSW
Tony Mazzocchi Award
Tony Mazzocchi (1927-2003) was the most influential labor leader in the occupational health and safety field in the U.S. and played a key role in the legislative struggles of the 1960s and 1970s, including passage of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act. A founder of the Labor Party, he continued organizing support for the party's national health care program up until his death. This award gives recognition to grassroots health and safety activists in local unions or other local organizations fighting for the health and safety rights of workers.
2023 Tony Mazzocchi Award winner: Catherine Duarte, MS
Leslie Nickels International Health & Safety Award
The International Award recognizes individuals with outstanding achievement in the field of occupational health and safety outside the U.S.
2023 International Award winner: Leslie London, MBChB, MMed, MD
Eula Bingham Award for Excellence in OHS Education and Training
This award is introduced in 2021. Eula Bingham (1929-2020) was a toxicologist, researcher, advocate and from 1977-1981 the director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Her tenure at OSHA was known for advancing workers' "right to know" about workplace hazards. This award recognizes the pivotal role of informed and empowered workers in advocating for safer conditions on the job.
2023 Eula Bingham Award winner: Kim Dunn, MSPH and Bruce McClue III, BS
James Keogh Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Occupational Health and Safety Section of the American Public Health Association established the James P. Keogh Memorial Scholarship Fund in 1999 to promote and strengthen the participation of students and union representatives and members in the Occupational Health and Safety section of APHA. The Fund recognizes the need for the involvement of workers and new health and safety professionals in order to make our workplaces and communities healthy and safe. The scholarship fund was established to honor the enormous contribution Dr. James (Jim) Keogh made to health and safety not only through his own considerable body of work, but also with his generosity as a mentor, teacher and colleague nurturing and influencing the work of others.
The Scholarship fund helps students and workers to participate in the annual APHA meeting by paying the APHA annual meeting registration fee, a one-year APHA membership and a $300 stipend for conference-related expenses to scholarship awardees.
You can donate to the fund here.