Choi, Sang

Dr. Sang D. Choi, PhD, MPH, MS, CSP, CPE is Full Professor and Construction Safety Program Coordinator in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Professor Choi also serves as OSH Specialist for U.S. DHHS CDC/NIOSH Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Mobility Program, and is affiliated with Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Professor Choi was also adjunct and the visiting professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Professor Choi is the recipient of the University-Wide Outstanding Research Award, the NSC Research Award, and the Stegall Pollock Safety Faculty Award for his outstanding performance, leadership, and commitment to the promotion and advancement of the occupational safety field and profession. Dr. Choi’s research/teaching interests are Occupational Safety and Health, Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering, Injury or Disease Prevention, Risk Assessment & Management, Productive & Healthy Aging, Human-Systems Interactions, Prevention through Design, and Human-Machine/Robots Collaboration (HMRC). Professor Choi has associations in multiple applied occupational safety & health research projects with the CDC/NIOSH, DOT/WI-BOTS, ASSP, and University of Wisconsin Research Development Grants. Dr. Choi has produced over 160-refereed high-quality publications, and invited multiple times to be as the Keynote speaker at prestigious national and international conferences. Professor Choi also served as Guest Editor for special issue of Occupational Ergonomics, Human Factors and Safety: Theory, Application and Practice for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Dr. Choi was an OSHA-approved outreach instructor and course chair for construction and industrial safety, and served as the Managing Editor for the Journal of Safety Health & Environmental Research. Professor Choi was the President of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety.

Education:

• The George Washington University, Washington D.C., Milken Institute School of Public Health (M.P.H.)
• Ph.D., Industrial Engineering, Western Michigan University. Major Field: Occupational Ergonomics & Safety
• M.S., Industrial Engineering (Human Factors and Ergonomics), Wichita State University

Courses:

• SAFETY 382/582: Safety in the Construction Industry
• SAFETY 468: Ergonomics
• SAFETY 481: Analysis and Design for Safety in Industrial Operations
• SAFETY 701: Research Methods in ESH
• SAFETY 737: Ergonomics in Construction
• SAFETY 787: System Safety Analysis
• SAFETY 789: Readings and Research in Safety

Certifications/Licenses:

• Board Certified Safety Professional (CSP), #21433
• Board Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE), #1179
• Authorized OSHA Outreach Instructor for Construction Industry
• Authorized OSHA Outreach Instructor for General Industry

Professional Interests:

• Aging Workforce
• Fall Protection/Prevention
• Construction Ergonomics and Safety
• Human-Systems Integration
• Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Prevention through Design
• Research to Practice to Research
• Risk Assessment/Management
• Health and Safety Disparities
• Human-Machine/Robots Collaboration 
• Wellness/Well-being

Professional Memberships:

• American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)

Select Recent Publications:

• Rey-Merchán, M. C., Gómez-de-Gabriel, J. M., López-Arquillos, A., & Choi, S.D. (2021). Analysis of falls from height variables in occupational accidents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13417. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413417
• Choi, S.D., & Staley, J. A. (2021). Safety and health implications of COVID-19 on the United States construction industry. Industrial and Systems Engineering Review, 9(1), 56-67. doi.org/10.37266/ISER.2021v9i1.pp56-67
• Kim, T., Choi, S.D., & Xiong, S. (2020). Epidemiology of fall and its socioeconomic risk factors in community-dwelling Korean elderly. PLOS ONE, 15(6): e0234787.
• Sinyai, C., & Choi, S.D. (2020). Fifteen year of American construction occupational safety and health research. Safety Science, 131, 2020. doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2020.104915
• Choi, S.D., Guo, L., Kim, J.H., & Xiong, S. (2019). Comparison of fatal occupational injuries in construction industry in the United States, South Korea, and China. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 71, 64-74.
• Choi, S.D., Guo, L., Kang, D., & Xiong, S. (2017). Exergame technology and interactive interventions for elderly fall prevention: A systematic literature review. Applied Ergonomics, 65, 570-581.
• Dong, S., Largay, J., Choi, S.D., Wang, X., Cain, C.T., & Romano, N. (2017). Fatal falls and PFAS use in the construction industry: Findings from the NIOSH FACE reports. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 102, 136-143.
• Choi, S.D., Rajendran, S., & Ahn, K. (2017). Stretch & flex programs: Effects on the reduction of musculoskeletal disorders & injuries. Professional Safety, 62(5), 38-43.
• Choi, S.D., & Brings, K. (2016). Work-related musculoskeletal risks associated with nurses and nursing assistants handling overweight and obese patients: A literature review. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 53(2), 439-448.