About Great Lakes

Who We Are & Our History

The Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences is part of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine and is housed in a state-of-the-art research facility equipped with the latest technologies in environmental chemistry, aerosol physics, genomics, and molecular genetics. The department is part of a national network of nonprofit organizations authorized by the United States Department of Labor, OSHA to deliver occupational safety and health training to private and public sector workers, supervisors, and employers. The University of Cincinnati has been home to an authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTIEC), known as the Great Lakes OSHA Education Center since the early 1990's. Annually the center trains thousands of occupational health and safety professionals under the Great Lakes consortium. The consortium was established in 2002 and includes three partner organizations, the University of Cincinnati as the lead center, the Eastern Michigan University, and the United Auto Workers International Union Health and Safety Department. 

What We Offer & Visitor Resources

We provide over 50 OTI courses and specialized short courses funded by the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, covering critical topics like trenching safety, temperature extremes, and workplace burnout. Our programs are designed to help workers and employers anticipate, recognize, and prevent workplace hazards. For those traveling to Cincinnati for training, the city offers a variety of weekday and weekend activities for families and visitors; you can explore local recommendations on the City’s webpage.