New and Emerging Risks in Occupational Health

Dear Colleagues,

Today, working environments are constantly changing, leading to the onset of new occupational hazards. In developed countries, on one side, globalization and economic crisis, new technologies and forms of employment and work organizations, as well as workforce aging pave the way to emerging physical inactivity and ergonomic stressors that increase the risks of musculoskeletal disorders, and to important psychosocial risks due to job insecurity, high workload and emotional demands that increase mental health issues. Moreover, there is an increased exposure to new chemical substances, including nanomaterials and unknown carcinogens that require new models in risk assessment and occupational epidemiology.

On the other side, labor in the informal workplace, child labor in agriculture and mining, as well as unregulated and unprotected exposure to many traditional risk factors at workplace, i.e., asbestos, silica dust, heavy metal poisoning, and noise, among others, are generating a lot of deaths attributable to occupational diseases and injuries. The industrial growth in developing nations has also increased the health problems by introducing new types of hazards.

Finally, in both developing and developed countries, globalization is leading to an increased volume of international transport of humans and animals and new immigration flows, and climate change is generating new risks for workers. Occupational exposure to thermal stress and to vector-borne diseases is a growing concern for outdoor workers. Environmental disasters, which once were defined as natural, increasingly recognize the human responsibility. The environmental and social conditions are changing the profile of the occupational hazards at global level with the onset of new important scenarios.

Managing these new emerging hazards could help to reach Sustainable Development Goal number 8. Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment and worker’s health.

In summary, this Special Issue is an opportunity for the scientific community and occupational stakeholders to present research on new emerging or challenging hazards from their own countries, to give insight into new challenges in occupational health and safety practice.

Prof. Nicola Magnavita
Dr. Francesco Chirico
Guest Editors

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