Occupational toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of agents that may be encountered by workers during the course of their employment. The adverse effects may be in the workers themselves or in experimental animals or other test systems used to define and/or understand the toxicity of the agent of interest. The term “occupational” is used in preference to “industrial” because the latter term may have the connotation of chemical exposures in factories. This would not necessarily include work such as mining or farming with potential exposure to pesticides or office work with issues such as photocopiers in enclosed spaces.

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a cooperative activity that involves people from various disciplines. Indeed, OHS practitioners often come from a range of backgrounds, bringing their skills and expertise to the field. Interaction amongst these fields is essential in dealing with workplace problems, making it a truly multidisciplinary endeavour.

Chemicals are found in most workplaces, and where such chemicals have hazards, require careful attention by the OHS practitioner to avoid overt acute poisoning from single or short term repeated exposures, as well as the more insidious adverse health consequences from longer term repeated exposures. Chemicals may also damage the workplace or harm the environment.

Toxicology is a scientific speciality in its own right with its own approaches, terminology and viewpoints. As many people involved in occupational health and safety must deal with chemical issues from time to time, but do not necessarily have a strong background in toxicology, occupational toxicology is a discipline that overlaps OHS and toxicology providing the opportunity to understand the basis of chemical hazards and how toxicological information is used to assess chemical risks and provide the means to eliminate, control or otherwise manage adverse chemical exposures. Therefore, occupational toxicology is directed towards occupational health and safety or toxicology practitioners at different levels, to allow them to attend to chemical-related issues with greater understanding and confidence.

Indeed, occupational toxicology is emerging as an important part of workplace health and safety, with contributions from the health and chemical sciences. Some of the relationships to occupational toxicology are shown below.

Recent publications include:

BOOK

• Winder, C., Stacey, N.H., editors. Occupational Toxicology, second edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton pp 1-602, 2004.

CHAPTERS

• Winder, C. Chemical safety management. Tabs ¶72-000 – 72-069 in: Managing Occupational Health and Safety (Wyatt, A., Oxenburgh, M., editors). CCH, Sydney, 2003.


• Winder, C. Chemicals: Keeping your workplace Safe. Chapter 31 in: Master OH&E Guide. CCH, Sydney pp 611-641, 2002.

PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS

• Winder, C. Chemicals and young workers. Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand 22: 163-174, 2006.


• Winder, C., Carmody, M. The dermal toxicity of cement. Toxicology and Industrial Health 18: 321-331, 2004.


• Winder, C. Mechanisms of multiple chemical sensitivity. Toxicology Letters 128: 85-97, 2002.