Online edition

Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety

The new Encyclopaedia website is a cutting-edge global knowledge platform for sharing occupational safety and health (OSH) information and good practices. This online multidisciplinary book of facts and knowledge presents the general user with a panoramic view of the field. The Encyclopaedia was written and compiled by world class researchers and industry experts. It is the most comprehensive reference source on the subject and one of the flagship and widely respected publications of the ILO.

The Encyclopaedia has evolved in 2012 into an online knowledge-sharing resource with a user-friendly interface and a powerful search engine. New arrangements for the continuing update and extension of the content are currently being established. This transformation is meant to enable quick and easy access to the most relevant information on the safety and health at work topics, and make existing content in other languages widely available to users around the world. 

A portal to worldwide information
The Encyclopaedia website is a valuable tool for academia, journalists and the general public – anyone interested in obtaining data and other information about safety and health at work. It is used by health and safety professionals, students and policy-makers alike.

The Encyclopaedia has been designed to provide a wide knowledge base on OSH in an understandable manner that will, at the same time, be considered rigorous by professionals in relevant fields (medicine, physics, chemistry, engineering, psychology, law, management, communication, etc.).

Sufficient depth and breadth of coverage allows readers in one area to appreciate and be stimulated by the ideas and approaches of other disciplines in OSH. The descriptions of hazard recognition and control are as straightforward as possible, with minimum of jargon.

The Encyclopaedia has been developed with a pragmatic approach in parts and chapters which correspond to the various disciplines that comprise OSH. New chapters and articles will be featured from 2013. In addition, the Encyclopaedia is also connected to a wide variety of ILO and third party health and safety information resources such as standards and regulations, databases, online periodicals, and institutional websites.

Overall structure
I. The BodyX. Industries based on Biological Resources
II. Health CareXI. Industries based on Natural Resources
III. Management and PolicyXII. Chemical Industries
IV. Tools and ApproachesXIII. Manufacturing Industries
V. Psychosocial and Organizational FactorsXIV. Textiles and Apparel Industries
VI. General HazardsXV. Transport Industries
VII. The EnvironmentXVI. Construction
VIII. Accidents and Safety ManagementXVII. Services and Trade
IX. ChemicalsXVIII. Guides

Over the years, several thousand internationally recognized experts from around the world contributed as writers and reviewers of the Encyclopaedia. The specialists have been drawn from virtually all the major institutions, organizations and networks thus ensuring that international perspectives are promoted. Problems and solutions vary around the globe and it made good sense to seek out the expertise of those with a direct understanding of the issues.

For those using the Encyclopaedia for the first time, two tutorials have been prepared to provide a tour of the site content and various features available, as well as an introduction to navigating the pages offering additional resources for each chapter. An FAQ section answers a variety of basic questions about how to use the site and its resources.

The Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety has a long and honourable history, having had four editions: in 1930, 1971, 1983 and 1998. The fourth edition was published in four volumes under the editorship of Prof. Jeanne Stellman who also led the development of the online edition.