Refreshed, updated, with broadened appeal and benefit for employers, workplace managers, HR and health and wellbeing professionals
The Oxford Handbook of Occupational Health has long since been recognised as a definitive source for best practice in the OH field. Today marks the publication of its third edition. This updates and extends the 2012 edition to incorporate current best practices, clinical learnings, and other developments.
One of its editors is our Employee Health Director, Dr Steve Boorman. He explains why it is so important to have a central professional reference guide.
Supporting OH clinical specialists and students
“Occupational health is a hugely complex profession. It spans not just what laypeople often think of as OH – such as physiotherapy or psychotherapy – but also a vast range of clinical disciplines such as toxicology, hygiene, and more. Doctors and nurses in many fields operate as OH practitioners. While students in many fields benefit from a central reference book to aid their learning.”
“Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs.”
Definition coined in 1950 by the International Labour Organisation and World Health Organisation
Guide for employers as well as Occupational Health professionals
The Handbook forms a go-to source of information for anyone involved in occupational health, including employers. Contrary to its title, it will be available not just in hard copy but online.
“Having a comprehensive single source of succinct information is invaluable. OH professionals need to know what to do whether they are dealing with an unfamiliar disability, or an emergency situation. Imagine that an OH professional is alerted that someone has been exposed to a particularly toxic substance, such as beryllium. They need an immediately available reference as to its risks and effects – because it damages the lungs and can cause long term berylliosis. That’s where the Handbook comes in – it is a must-have for workplaces and clinics alike.”
The tone and appeal of the new edition is designed to appeal not just to OH clinicians but to employers, workplace managers and HR professionals and others who may benefit from having such a clear and comprehensive guide to workplace health management and safety.
Dr Boorman continued “The fact that the Handbook has broadened in scope can only make it more useful. It now includes sections on topics such as environmental protection, electrical safety, and how to write health and safety policies, for example. Many learnings from the pandemic have been incorporated – it also provides balanced guidance on the appropriate use and reliance on PPE and covers some of the challenges of vaccination and testing in relation to the workplace.”
With such content it is unsurprising that the Handbook runs to more than 1000 pages. It was recreated and refreshed by three editors including Dr Boorman, and around 40 other contributors and researchers who have exhaustively checked every reference and fact.
You can order the Oxford Handbook of Occupational Health 3rd Edition from the publishers from today.
