Occupational Health: Overview

Occupational safety and health has a profound impact on individuals, families, communities, and societies. This article briefly outlines types of hazards and the resulting burden of fatal and nonfatal illness and injury in the context of vulnerable working populations and the changing context of work, including the globalization of work and migration of labor, growth in precarious working arrangements, and specific problems faced by workers at both age extremes. It describes a public health approach anchored in comprehensive programs driven by data and based in management leadership and employee participation. The role of government to provide services and enforce responsibilities is described using examples drawn primarily from the United States, as is the past and potentially future positive role played by labor unions.