Abstract

Occupational safety and health (OSH) have constantly changed and evolved throughout the industrial revolutions and in recent years. The aim of this systematic literature review was to give an overview of future OSH challenges in industrialized countries. A search within the Scopus database returned 31 peer-reviewed journal articles published since 2014 on new and emerging OSH risks and challenges in the future. A review of articles identified future overall OSH challenges, OSH challenges caused by climate change, and OSH challenges related to sustainable development and responsibility. In addition, branch-specific challenges in industries and health care were determined. Individual employees can experience a wide range of OSH challenges from heat stress to poison absorption, musculoskeletal disorders, increased psychosocial load, ergonomic issues, and unexpected accidents and injuries. OSH management is discussed and future studies proposed.

Highlights

  • Changes in working life, society, and the environment challenge current occupational safety and health (OSH) practices, processes, and structures

  • The aim of this study is to identify and analyze new and emerging OSH challenges in industrialized countries presented in the scientific literature

  • The initial reading of the 31 articles revealed the following three kinds of general challenges: overall OSH challenges, OSH challenges caused by climate change, and OSH challenges related to sustainable development and responsibility

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Summary

Introduction

Society, and the environment challenge current occupational safety and health (OSH) practices, processes, and structures. The globalization of economies, changes in demographic structures and working organizations, and downsizing and restructuring of many enterprises have brought new kinds of challenges to working life (Gagliardi et al, 2012). Fostervold, Koren, and Nilsen (2018) and Zink and Fischer (2018) emphasized how global supply chains and the digitization of work affect work systems worldwide, posing challenges to working conditions. In this context, the concept of decent work should be acknowledged. The International Labour Organization (ILO) defined decent work in relation to sustainability

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