The International Commission for Occupational Health (ICOH) is an international non-profitmaking, non-political, multidisciplinary scientific organisation. ICOH was founded in Milan in 1906 at the First Congress for Occupational Health as the Permanent Commission on Occupational Health. The sole purpose of ICOH is to foster the scientific progress, knowledge and development of occupational health and related subjects on an international basis.
ICOH provides a forum for scientific and professional communication through the sponsors of international congresses and meetings on occupational health, by establishing scientific committees in various fields of occupational health and related subjects, to disseminates information on occupational health activities, to issues guidelines and reports on occupational health and related subjects, collaborates with appropriate international and national bodies on matters concerning occupational and environmental health, takes any other appropriate action related to the field of occupational health, and to solicits and administers such funds as may be required in furtherance of its objectives.
ICOH works with governmental and non-governmental partners. The governmental partners are the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The non-governmental partners include the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA).
Currently, there are 37 ICOH Scientific Committees (SC), the role of the SC range from SC on Accident Prevention to SC on Nanomaterial Workers’ Health. Every ICOH member have the opportunity to join three of the SC to contribute in the field and participate in their activities. Every scientific committee organises separate conferences, symposiums and meetings focusing on the specific topics. During the last triennium (2015-2017) there were 99 scientific meetings organised by the SC.
There are a total of 1703 ICOH members of which 26 are from Malaysia. I have been elected as the ICOH National Secretary for Malaysia for the current triennium form 2018-2020. I would recommend all practitioners in Occupational Health in Malaysia to join the ICOH and the ICOH SC as an important avenue to meet other professionals from across the globe. The application form is available online. If you need more information you can contact me.
Article written by Prof Dr Victor HOE, the ICOH National Secretary for Malaysia (2018-2020)
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