Following the success of the fourth edition, which was highly commended
in the primary health care category for the 2018 British Medical
Association (BMA) Medical Book Awards, this fifth edition has been
substantially revised and updated to reflect significant changes in
health care practice and to incorporate the explosion of information
since the advent of the fourth industrial revolution and the COVID-19
pandemic. As before, the book covers target organ systems that can be
affected by hazardous exposures in traditional industries and modern
workplaces, both of which coexist in different parts of the world and
present unique occupational health challenges for the medical
practitioner. To this end, this reference textbook focuses on the
clinical presentations, investigations, and medical and work-centric
management of affected individuals. We have retained consideration of
some special issues relevant to occupational medicine practice in this
new edition and included a new section relating to the multidisciplinary
nature of occupational health practice.
The main emphasis continues to be prevention of disease and early
detection of health effects caused by work exposures. This edition of
the book has been updated to include new information and references. We
have kept some of the previous case studies and illustrations, and
introduced several new ones, some of which reflect the changes of
practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic - for example, in risk
communication, recognition and management of the risks of health care
and frontline work. We have again asked international experts in
occupational medicine and cross-disciplinary medical specialties to
jointly author many of the chapters. Some of the authors are from Asia,
and others from Europe, the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
All the authors have either clinical and/or academic experience in, or
related to occupational medicine practice.
The book is targeted at all those who are interested in the interaction
between work and health, and how occupational diseases and work-related
disorders may present and be managed. It will be of interest to medical
practitioners, especially those in primary care and doctors intending to
pursue a career in occupational medicine. It would also be relevant for
allied health and safety professionals wanting to know more about health
effects resulting from occupational exposures. Other groups who may find
this edition useful as a ready reference are medical students,
occupational health nurses, or clinical specialists in diverse fields
such as dermatology, respiratory medicine, infectious diseases or
toxicology.
