As a former volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician, Dylan Clark has always wanted to help people.

After graduating from ACPHS with a B.S. degree in Health and Human Sciences (now Public Health), Dylan was hired as an investigator for the New York State Department of Health, working for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

“On a day-to-day basis, I’m working with data obtained from OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] reports, police reports, autopsy reports, and multiple other federal and state reports,” says Clark.

These reports contain critical data that shed light on entire worker populations and the hazards they face on the job. After the data has been collected, it’s shared with other New York State agencies who use the findings to develop programs and materials aimed at reducing workplace injuries and fatalities.

The New York State Move Over legislation was passed, in part, due to transportation data released by CFOI. This law requires drivers to slow down and move over when approaching ambulances, fire trucks, and police and maintenance vehicles.

An opportunity to combine his twin interests in public health and safety is what drew Clark to the position. He credits an internship at the Schenectady County Health Department during his senior year at ACPHS for helping prepare him for his role.

While this type of work can’t prevent all future accidents from occurring, it can lead to a variety of improvements in workplace safety. “People have accidents every day. My goal is to find solutions for reducing these types of incidents and limiting the number of injuries,” explains Clark.