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Session Evaluation

AOHC 2026 Concurrent Sessions

Health and Human Performance

119 - Neurodiversity in EHS: Inclusive Safety Practices

Sunday, April 19, 2026
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM CT
Location: Chicago Ballroom IX
Claim 1.0 CME

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.


Disclosure(s):

John Dony: No financial relationships to disclose
Session Description: Neurodiversity - including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurological variation - is increasingly recognized as both a dimension of workforce diversity and a factor influencing occupational health and safety outcomes. Yet, EHS programs often overlook neurodivergent workers’ unique strengths and challenges, from communication differences to sensory sensitivities and executive functioning needs. This session will explore how occupational and environmental health professionals can integrate neurodiversity into safety management systems, training, and workplace design.

Participants will gain insights into: (1) how neurodiversity intersects with risk perception, reporting behaviors, and training uptake; (2) strategies to adapt hazard communication, training, and job design to accommodate different cognitive styles; and (3) approaches to leverage neurodiverse strengths - such as pattern recognition, problem-solving, and innovation - within safety and health initiatives.

The session will emphasize multidisciplinary collaboration between EHS, occupational medicine, human resources, and worker representatives.

Educational Gaps: Occupational health and safety professionals increasingly encounter neurodiverse workforces but often lack tools to translate inclusion into prevention and protection practices. This session will provide applied strategies for adapting safety communication, training, and work systems to neurodiverse needs.

Is this session being sponsored by an ACOEM Section or Component?: No

Has this session previously been presented?: Via webinar and at the 2025 BCSP Research & Innovation Summit

The AOHC 2026 theme is Healthy workers. Healthy world: By recognizing and valuing cognitive diversity, this session will enable organizations to both reduce risk and improve worker well-being - aligning directly with ACOEM’s vision of advancing excellence, collaboration, and sustainability in occupational health. This session will provide applied strategies for adapting safety communication, training, and work systems to neurodiverse needs, creating a healthier workforce and a healthier world. In addition, participants will gain case examples, adaptable frameworks, and actionable steps to integrate neurodiversity into EHS practice, meaning that there will be actionable movement encouraged on the exact conference theme during the session.

Learning Objectives:

  • Define neurodiversity and its relevance to occupational and environmental health and safety, and identify workplace risk factors and safety challenges that disproportionately impact neurodivergent workers.
  • Apply inclusive strategies to adapt training, hazard communication, and job design for neurodiverse teams.
  • Recommend policies and practices that leverage neurodiverse strengths while reducing barriers to safe, healthy work, and collaborate across disciplines to integrate neurodiversity into occupational health and safety programs.