Launch of ICOH 2022 Congress Announcement

The Announcement of the 33^rd International Congress on Occupational Health, to be held in a fully digital format 6-10 February 2022, is now available. You can download the Congress Announcement here.

Registration and call for abstract will open on June 15.

Please visit the Congress website at www.icoh2022.net for more information.

ICOH 2022 Congress goes virtual

ICOH is pleased to announce that the ICOH 33^rd International Congress on Occupational Health (ICOH 2022) will be held in a new virtual format on February 6-10, 2022.

In consideration of the exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the ICOH 2022 Congress will be organized by ICOH with the support of the Australian National Organizing Committee in the role of Co-Organizers.

The virtual congress will be a high level experience in terms of scientific contents and interaction, with networking and engagement opportunities.

The virtual format will ensure wider accessibility as it will give to the whole OSH community the possibility to attend, especially to developing countries.

The new Announcement of the Congress will be sent out very soon.

We invite you to follow our website and social media to get updates on ICOH 2022.

Dr. Jukka Takala (ICOH President) and Prof. Jorma Rantanen (former ICOH President) are representing ICOH at the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) taking place from 24 May 2021 to 1 June 2021 in a virtual format.

On this occasion, two ICOH statements were submitted to highlight the importance of successful prevention and management of the COVID-19 pandemic at work, one for the agenda item 13.4 “Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property” and a second one for the agenda item 17 “Public health emergencies: preparedness and response”.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have jointly produced the first estimates on the loss of life and health from ischemic heart disease and stroke associated with working long hours. These are WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. WHO and ILO were supported in this estimation by a Technical Advisory Group of individual experts.

Two systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the latest existing bodies of evidence were conducted, with Working Groups of individual experts, specifically to provide the evidence base for this study. These found sufficient evidence that working 55 hours/week or more is associated with a higher risk of both ischemic heart disease and stroke, compared to working standard hours of 35-40 hours/week.

28 April 2021 – ICOH supporting the ILO World Day on Safety and Health at Work

The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) strongly supports the efforts related to the ILO World Day on Safety and Health at Work.

This year, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on strategies to strengthen national occupational safety and health (OSH) systems to build resilience, in order to face crises now and in the future, drawing on lessons learned and experiences from the world of work.

The ICOH President, Dr. Jukka Takala, prepared the ICOH message for the World Day for Safety and Health at Work of 28 April 2021.

To read the full message, please click here.

In consideration of the ongoing CoViD-19 pandemic, the ICOH Officers together with the ICOH2021 National Organizing Committee decided to postpone the Congress to be held in Mel-bourne, Australia. The new dates will be 6-11 February 2022.

The 18th National Congress of ANAMT (Associação Nacional de Medicina do Trabalho, Brazil) took place on April 8-10, 2021. The event was held in digital format and brought together occupational health reference experts for an extensive lecture circuit, conferences and courses on the central theme “The role of occupational physicians in primary prevention”.

ICOH Statement on Occupational Health and Safety as an ILO Fundamental Right at Work

The ICOH Statement “Safety and health is a Fundamental Right at Work” was referenced at the 341st Session of the ILO Governing Body on 22 March 2021. To read the full statement, please click here.

Catalan TV programme “La Marató” about COVID-19

On 20 December 2020, the TV programme “La Marató” will go live on TV3 Televisió de Catalunya, in Catalonia. The programme will focus on raising awareness and spreading information about Covid-19. A cartoon has been developed for children, for educational purporses related to prevention.

Link to the cartoon (in Catalan): https://www.ccma.cat/video/embed/super3/6072568/.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing away of Professor Vito Foà, ICOH Honorary member.

After his graduation in occupational medicine and toxicology, he started working at the industrial hygiene laboratory of the Clinica del Lavoro of Milan in 1958 and was involved in occupational toxicology. In 1977 he was appointed as Director of the Department of occupational toxicology and industrial hygiene.

He was Professor of Occupational Medicine at the University of Milan and at the University of Bari, Italy.
With Luigi Ambrosi, he published the handbook “Medicina del Lavoro”.