Healthy and Safe Environments across Occupational and Environmental Contexts

Overview & Synopsis

This Special Issue, “Healthy and Safe Environments across Occupational and Environmental Contexts”, brings together research that is at the interface between environmental and occupational health. According to the WHO, environmental health encompasses the assessment and control of physical, chemical, and biological factors that are external to individuals, as well as behavioral determinants that can impact health. The workplace often mirrors the general environment: hazards may share common origins, and effective control strategies can be applied across both contexts. Skills and knowledge used to address environmental risks are frequently the same as those required for occupational hazards. The contributions gathered in this Issue illustrate the richness and relevance of this interdisciplinary field. They span novel approaches to hazard identification and risk assessment, investigations of exposures and health outcomes, and analyses of physical, chemical, and psychosocial factors. Several studies deepen our understanding of the subtle and long-term health impacts of environmental pollutants, including air pollution and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Others highlight the implications of occupational exposures, ranging from noise and stress to laboratory-specific risks, while also addressing workplace health promotion in diverse cultural contexts.