Established in 1945, COEH is the UK’s oldest and one of the world's earliest centres for occupational health research and education. Its foundation lies in �������Ƶ's industrial history, particularly the cotton industry, with early studies addressing respiratory diseases and lead exposure. 

The annual honours , the first Professor of Occupational Medicine (1945–1964). The Centre’s subsequent leaders have each contributed to its growth and enduring reputation: Tommy Scott focussed on research on bladder cancer and hearing loss; Tim Lee broadened the scope to areas such as occupational asthma and lead poisoning, and introduced distance learning; Nicola Cherry expanded the department further with research into neurotoxicity and Gulf War Syndrome, launching the Occupational Disease Ascertainment Network (ODIN) network; and Raymond Agius strengthened environmental health research and online education, securing long term funding for the future. 

Current lead, Professor Martie van Tongeren, has transformed the Centre into an interdisciplinary centre offering innovative undergraduate and postgraduate training, attracting students from around the world. Working in collaboration with and the , COEH’s research spans global occupational and environmental health, health inequalities, climate change and health, digitalization and AI, as well as traditional occupational hazards. The Centre is also actively engaged with regulatory bodies, and its balance of basic and translational research supports policy makers. 

As COEH enters its ninth decade, the centre continues to build on its founders’ pioneering work while adopting new approaches to train practitioners and address emerging challenges. Through interdisciplinary collaboration with partners COEH remains committed to social responsibility and reducing health inequalities both in the UK and worldwide, continuing to make a significant impact. 

Professor van Tongeren commented: “I am proud and honoured to be part of the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, continuing the legacy begun by Prof Ronald Lane 80 years ago. As new challenges like AI emerge and longstanding ones like silicosis persist, our mission to protect worker health through research and teaching remains vital. I’m confident COEH will continue to lead the way.”

80^th anniversary event 

COEH invites colleagues and guests to commemorate 80 years of pioneering research and education at The University of �������Ƶ on the afternoon of 1 October. The event will bring together past and present staff, students, and guests to honour the Centre’s legacy and explore future progress in occupational health.  

The programme will include: 

• Lightning talks showcasing key achievements and ongoing research initiatives 
• Forward-looking panel session to explore challenges and opportunities in occupational health 
• The , presented by Professor Malcolm Sim, former Head of the Monash University Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in Australia 
• Closing reception  

2025 Lane Lecture 

While UK occupational health research, including at COEH, now focuses more on stress and mental health, traditional risks such as occupational respiratory disease continue to be a key priority. The Centre has, in recent years, led efforts to address the dangers of artificial stone (used frequently in kitchen worktops and bathrooms) as workers without proper controls can develop accelerated silicosis—a serious lung disease affecting even young individuals. 

Professor Malcolm Sim played a lead role in research and advisory activities to address the silicosis epidemic in Australia among stonemasons working with artificial stone. In this year’s Lane Lecture, Professor Sim will explore artificial stone silicosis further through his talk, ‘The Artificial Stone Silicosis Epidemic: Lessons Learned for More Effective Prevention’. 

where you can also find a detailed programme.

Key highlights: 

• Mapping research activity: The paper details the analysis of over 4,900 projects, identifying evidence gaps and supporting stakeholder engagement. 
• Strategic recommendations: Emphasis on interdisciplinary research, community engagement, refined resilience definitions, and exploring alternative security approaches. 
• Future directions: Insights into enhancing societal and economic resilience, and strengthening national security in both physical and digital environments. 

This working paper is a significant contribution to understanding and advancing the landscape of national security and resilience research. We invite you to explore the full paper and join SALIENT in it's mission to build a secure and resilient world. 

The latest research article, "," sheds light on the alarming rise of work-related violence in the UK, particularly affecting professional drivers. This comprehensive study, highlighted by , reveals that HGV drivers are increasingly subjected to both interpersonal and impersonal violence, significantly impacting their mental health and job satisfaction. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), drivers face above-average rates of workplace violence, which includes physical threats and abuse from customers and the general public. This hostile work environment contributes to anxiety, depression, and reduced job satisfaction, leading some drivers to consider early retirement.

The research underscores the dual nature of the violence faced by drivers. Interpersonal violence involves direct threats and abuse, while impersonal violence stems from employer pressures that encourage unsafe driving practices, such as driving while fatigued. Despite regulations designed to protect workers, economic pressures on haulage firms often lead to the disregard of these safety rules, exacerbating the problem.

To address these issues, the article calls for a cultural shift within organisations. It advocates for encouraging drivers to report incidents of abuse without fear of retribution and ensuring that appropriate support systems are in place. By fostering a workplace culture that prioritises safety and well-being, businesses can help mitigate the adverse effects of workplace violence on HGV drivers.

This research is a crucial step towards raising awareness and prompting action to protect the mental health and safety of those who keep our transport systems running. Professor Sheena Johnson, one of the leads of the  (VARN) at the Thomas Ashton Institute, is at the forefront of this initiative. VARN is dedicated to understanding and addressing work-related violence across various sectors, promoting safer and healthier work environments.

For more insights and detailed findings, .

The paper, titled "Exploring the complexity of highways infrastructure programmes in the United Kingdom through systems thinking," has garnered significant recognition within the academic community. This accolade highlights the paper’s impact and relevance, reflecting the high regard in which Dr. Kirkham’s work is held by his peers.

The award-winning paper delves into the complexities of highways infrastructure programmes in the UK using systems thinking principles. 

The study examines three major projects: the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel, the A66 Trans-Pennine upgrade, and the Lower Thames Crossing. By employing causal models, the paper illustrates the interdependencies and socio-economic impacts of these programmes. It argues that understanding these projects as interconnected systems is crucial for unlocking added value and achieving long-term benefits.

The paper is available for open access and can be downloaded: .

Congratulations to the team on this prestigious achievement!

We found evidence that there were increased risks for some occupational groups and that this varied over time. For some occupational groups, high elevations in risk seen early in the pandemic largely disappeared by the later waves. The findings were fed into government departments and featured in an independent government report on Covid-19 and occupational impacts. 

There are many workplace features that are likely to be related to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) such as contact with other people, ventilation, likelihood of mask-use and ability to work from home. It was important to know which occupations, if any, are at increased risk from Covid-19, so that support strategies could be targeted to those groups during the pandemic and in future pandemics. 

Additionally, identifying characteristics of occupational groups with elevated risks can also help us to identify workplace factors most likely to be related to the transmission of Covid-19. This means that modifications to the workplace can be put in place.

This work was supported by funding through the , managed by the Health and Safety Executive on behalf of HM Government and funding from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Coronavirus (Covid-19) Infection Survey funding bids.

This research used data made available via the Secure Research Service, which is being expanded and improved with ADR UK funding.

This year's TAI lecture delved into topics from workplace safety to artificial intelligence, climate change, and resilience, examining global risk perceptions and the application of this data in fostering a safer world. 

• on YouTube, and obtain a PDF copy of the presentation.
• Learn more about .

Drawing from anthropological theory and organisational studies, this presentation addresses the pressing need for a cultural transformation within the UK construction industry. 

• .

Backed by a £4.2 million funding award from UK Research and Innovation’s building a secure and resilient world strategic theme, the University team will drive a Research and Coordination Hub in confronting pressing risks and threats both online and in the world around us.  

Led by Dr Richard Kirkham, Deputy Director of the  at The University of �������Ƶ, the project known as (Secure And ResiLIENT), will bring �������Ƶ academics together with partners from the universities of Bath, Exeter and Sussex, to catalyse, convene and conduct research and innovation in support of the UK's national security and resilience. 

will drive interdisciplinary research to tackle some of the UK's most challenging security problems. Their focus will be on robust and secure supply chains, global order in a time of change, technologies used for security and defence, behavioural and cultural resilience, and strengthening resilience in our natural and built environments.  

This ambitious five-year investment, following a highly competitive selection process, will enable the SALIENT team to build strong connections across a broad group of stakeholders in central and local government, the devolved administrations and crucially, the public.

Dr Kirkham continued: “Our approach will promote a culture of genuine interdisciplinarity, co-production and citizen engagement, ensuring that the research we do is relevant, timely and represents value for money.” 

Duncan Shaw, Professor of Operational Research and Critical Systems at The University of �������Ƶ, added: “Enhancing the resilience of systems and society is an epic ambition, one that has challenged the UK for years. SALIENT amasses an impressive multidisciplinary team that we will expand with policy and practice subject matter experts. Together we will pursue an exciting endeavour to make a real difference to resilience at home and create transferable lessons of global significance.” 

The United Kingdom is committed to delivering the highest standards of nuclear and radiation safety, an international mission has found.

The seven-day International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) follow-up mission, to evaluate the country’s regulatory infrastructure against required global safety standards, ended earlier this week. 

The team studied progress from a full scope mission in 2019 when assessments of the UK’s nuclear and radiological safety standards were carried out. 

The mission also praised two specific areas of ONR’s ‘Good Performance’, with its , and the independent and transparent assessment of its culture, commissioned by ONR and delivered by the Thomas Ashton Institute and colleagues from the Alliance �������Ƶ Business School.

As project lead and report co-author, , Professor in Organisational Psychology at AMBS, said: “Incidents such as the nuclear power plant disaster at Fukushima in 2011 in the wake of a major earthquake off Japan, and the more recent fatal crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, have highlighted the important role of the regulator and the need for periodic assessment of cultures within regulators." 

"ONR commissioned us to carry out its first ever independent assessment of its internal culture. Being seen as an effective regulator is key to its ability to influence nuclear licensees and subsequent achievement of its mission, namely to protect society by securing safe nuclear operations. We were pleased with the openness with which we were met by ONR staff throughout the assessment." 

In 2020, a team from The University of �������Ƶ and Universiti Teknologi MARA proposed to improve workplace safety and health in the Malaysian construction industry by focusing on the transfer of knowledge and practices from the United Kingdom. 

The team has been phenomenal in working seamlessly to undertake multiple impact-laden stakeholder engagement activities within Malaysia and in UK.

The project, funded by and the (MIGHT), is a collaboration between academics at The University of �������Ƶ and .

The project aims to promote the exchange of research and practitioner expertise and experiences on design for safety in construction, through multi-dimensional scholarly activities.

Day 1 included visits to the (DOSH) and MIGHT, to present outcomes from the project and discuss potential future collaborations to support the implementation of OSHCIM - the Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Industry. 

On Day 2, Patrick and the UiTM team presented the work of the project at a workshop with construction industry stakeholders. 

Day 3 included visits to where researchers had the opportunity to discuss strengthening collaborations in occupational safety and health research and across civil engineering. 

On the final day, Patrick had the opportunity to visit the British Council to present project findings, share knowledge and discuss future work and the sustainability of the research environment links collaboration.

With thanks to UiTM team for the wonderful reception, and for organising the visit.

Project team 

• Dr Patrick Manu, The University of �������Ƶ
• Dr Clara Cheung, The University of �������Ƶ
• Dr Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo, The University of �������Ƶ
• Prof. Che Khairil Izam Che Ibrahim, Universiti Teknologi MARA 
• Assoc. Prof. Sheila Belayutham, Universiti Teknologi MARA
• Dr Mazlina Zaira Mohammad, Universiti Teknologi MARA.

With a career spanning more than three decades, Professor Curran - who is also the Deputy Head of the - has led crucial research into protecting people's health and safety at work - from occupational diseases, to reducing carbon emissions and exposure to harmful substances. 

He also led , which helped support the UK's response to the pandemic. 

Learn more about this story on the HSE's news site.

The , which will be based at the University, is a unique partnership that draws on the combined reputations, knowledge and experience of The University of �������Ƶ and the Health and Safety Executive. 

The Institute will act as a hub for risk and regulatory excellence, reaching out globally via its educational activities and acting as an authoritative source of health and safety knowledge and expertise.

Health and Safety practitioners from around the world will benefit from the knowledge and learning opportunities available at the Institute, returning to their own countries with enhanced understanding and competence, which can be used to improve local safety and health.

One of the Institute’s key aims is to take the lessons learned from four decades of incident investigations and research and make them accessible to industry. The work will help ensure that mistakes are not repeated as new technologies and industries emerge. Both partners are keen to bring new technologies to fruition safely and more quickly by addressing safety, health and regulatory barriers before they occur.

Professor Neil K. Bourne, Director of The University of �������Ƶ at Harwell, and Co-Director of The Thomas Ashton Institute said: “Ashton is a ground-breaking Institute that will allow the world to transform health and safety, mitigate risk and fortify resilience through world-leading research and innovation, fundamental to industry and national economies.

“The Institute will be formally launched in April 2018, one hundred years since the University and HSE first worked together. It will act as a global focal point, conducting world–class science with international partners to minimise risk, maximise outputs and wellbeing in the workplace.”

HSE Chief Executive, Dr Richard Judge said: "We are excited by the opportunities that establishing this new Institute brings, and by the opportunity to cement and strengthen our long running partnership with the University of �������Ƶ. This directly supports our regulatory activities. In creating an international centre of excellence for risk and regulatory research, we are also providing a focal point for working with others. As part of that, we will invite forward-thinking contributors to work with us on the Institute's future programmes to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health."

The University of �������Ƶ President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, added: “This is an excellent partnership that has the ability to develop, transform and shape Health and Safety research and policy and expertise for years to come. Partnering with such a reputable organisation such as the HSE is testimony to the University’s growing reputation in this area and is a reflection of the research expertise and practitioner-led excellence here at �������Ƶ.”

The Institute will transform industry to deliver a safer, happier workplace and make Ashton a recognised and respected international brand.