National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS)

CAPT James Collins, Ph.D., M.S.M.E.

Dr. James Collins is a Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and is the Associate Director for Science for the Division of Safety Research (DSR), with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 

Dr. Collins received his Ph.D. in Health Policy and Management from Johns Hopkins University and his Masters in Mechanical Engineering at West Virginia University and Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. 

He has 27 years experience as an Engineer and an Epidemiologist conducting laboratory and field research with NIOSH.  His recent research has focused on safe resident lifting and slip, trip, and fall prevention in nursing homes and hospitals.  As Associate Director for Science for the Division of Safety Research, he is responsible for the quality control of the research being conducted by the Division’s approximately 75 staff members. 

Dr. Collins received the 2010 James P. Keogh award for conducting rigorous scientific research to develop and test “best practice” interventions and for being an advocate for healthcare workers by promoting the widespread implementation of effective solutions to prevent patient-lifting and slip, trip, fall, and injuries in healthcare settings.

Dr. Collins is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion.  He has authored 8 book chapters and published over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts and NIOSH documents.  His work has been published in American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Injury Prevention, Ergonomics, Applied Ergonomics, Statistics in Medicine, Occupational Medicine:  State of the Art Reviews, Professional Safety, Ohio Monitor, Robotics Engineering, Sensors, Journal of Safety Research, Journal of Occupational Accidents, Public Power Journal, and Business Society and Review.