The number of physical, chemical, biological and psychosocial factors affecting workers' health is constantly on the rise. The ILO has been responding to the challenge of creating safe and healthy working conditions since its founding in 1919. Agreed by governments as well as employers' and workers' organizations, this new list, approved in March 2010, reflects the state of the art in the identification and recognition of occupational diseases. The list, annexed here to the List of Occupational Diseases Recommendation, 2002 (No. 194), is designed to assist countries in their prevention, record.

Despite many advances, 20 American workers die each day as a result of occupational injuries. And occupational safety and health (OSH) is becoming even more complex as workers move away from the long-term, fixed-site, employer relationship. This book looks at worker safety in the changing workplace and the challenge of ensuring a supply of top-notch OSH professionals. Recommendations are addressed to federal and state agencies, OSH organizations, educational institutions, employers, unions, and other stakeholders. The committee reviews trends in workforce demographics, the nature of work in the information age, globalization of work, and the revolution in health care deliveryâ€"exploring the implications for OSH education and training in the decade ahead. The core professions of OSH (occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and occupational medicine and nursing) and key related roles (employee assistance professional, ergonomist, and occupational health psychologist) are profiled-how many people are in the field, where they work, and what they do. The book reviews in detail the education, training, and education grants available to OSH professionals from public and private sources.

Beginning with the development of the atomic bomb during World War II, the United States continued to build nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War. Thousands of people mined and milled uranium, conducted research on nuclear warfare, or worked in nuclear munitions factories around the country from the 1940s through the 1980s. Such work continues today, albeit to a smaller extent. The Department of Energy (DOE) is now responsible for overseeing those sites and facilities, many of which were, and continue to be, run by government contractors. The materials used at those sites were varied and ranged from the benign to the toxic and highly radioactive. Workers at DOE facilities often did not know the identity of the materials with which they worked and often were unaware of health risks related to their use. In many instances, the work was considered top secret, and employees were cautioned not to reveal any work-related information to family or others. Workers could be exposed to both radioactive and nonradioactive toxic substances for weeks or even years. Consequently, some of the workers have developed health problems and continue to have concerns about potential health effects of their exposures to occupational hazards during their employment in the nuclear weapons industry. In response to the concerns expressed by workers and their representatives, DOL asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to review the SEM database and its use of a particular database, Haz-Map, as the source of its toxic substance-occupational disease links. Accordingly, this IOM consensus report reflects careful consideration of its charge by the committee, and describes the strengths and shortcomings of both. To complete its task, IOM formed an ad hoc committee of experts in occupational medicine, toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, public health, and biostatistics to conduct an 18-month study to review the scientific rigor of the SEM database. The committee held two public meetings at which it heard from DOL Division of Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) representatives, the DOL contractor that developed the SEM database, the developer of the Haz-Map database, DOE worker advocacy groups, and several individual workers. The committee also submitted written questions to DOL to seek clarification of specific issues and received written responses from DEEOIC. The committee's report considers both the strengths and weaknesses of the SEM and the Haz-Map databases, recognizing that the latter was developed first and for a different purpose. The committee then discusses its findings and recommends improvements that could be made in both databases with a focus on enhancing the usability of SEM for both DOL claims examiners and for former DOE workers and their representatives. Review of the Department of Labor's Site Exposure Matrix Database summarizes the committee's findings.

Global Occupational Health is a concise, complete introduction to a vital-but often neglected-area in the field of health sciences. Work-related illnesses and injuries are critical concerns for every country and at every stage of economic development and an important determinant of health and financial security for working adults and their families. As a comprehensive textbook designed for students, professionals in public health, and occupational health practitioners who are working across international boundaries, this book will provide the reader with solid foundational knowledge of occupational health through the lens of economic development. Perfect for use as both a stand-alone text or as supplementary reading, this book addresses worker protection and the management of occupational health from rich industrialized countries to developing societies. The first section of the book concentrates on broad approaches and frameworks for the investigation and management of health in the workplace. The second section addresses important hazards. The third section addresses specific industry sectors, management challenges, and policies at the global level. Each chapter links occupational health to economic development concepts and future trends. The contributed chapters are authored by international experts in the field, enriched by boxed case studies and supportive concrete examples. This work sets a new standard for education in occupational health.