Technological Innovation for Occupational Health: A Narrative Review of Workplace Risk Mitigation Strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61194/jrkpk.v2i2.667Keywords:
Occupational Health, Workplace Safety, Healthcare Workers, Public Health Policy, Risk Management, Mental Health Support, Protective MeasuresAbstract
Occupational health remains a global priority, particularly for high risk sectors such as healthcare, where workers face complex and evolving hazards. This narrative review examines the challenges of workplace safety, with an emphasis on the transformative role of technological innovation during and beyond the COVID 19 pandemic. A systematic search across Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar identified key themes, including stress related disorders, exposure risks, and the effectiveness of various interventions. Findings indicate that insufficient public health infrastructure, lack of training, and limited mental health resources exacerbate occupational risks. Effective mitigation strategies include improved access to personal protective equipment (PPE), tailored psychological support, and advanced digital tools such as AI based risk assessments and wearable monitoring systems. These technologies offer promising avenues to enhance preventive measures and enable real time hazard management. The study underscores the urgent need for integrated policies, increased investment in occupational safety, and cross sectoral collaboration to ensure equitable protection. Future research should prioritize longitudinal analyses of health impacts, global comparisons of safety protocols, and expanded evaluation of emerging technologies. A multidisciplinary and proactive approach is vital for building safer and more resilient work environments.
References
Wang C, Lin G, Lin Y, Chen W, Wu W. Occupational Health Surveillance and Detection of Emerging Occupational Diseases Among Taiwan Farmers, Through Analysis of National‐based Farmers’ and Medico‐administrative Databases. Am J Ind Med. 2022;66(1):85–93.
Tamers SL, Chosewood LC, Childress AM, Hudson H, Nigam JAS, Chang C. Total Worker Health® 2014–2018: The Novel Approach to Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being Evolves. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(3):321.
Ramli NS, Fauzi MFM, Moktar NMA, Hajib N, Nawi AM. Prevalence, Characteristics, and Predictors of Healthcare Workers With COVID-19 Infection in an Urban District in Malaysia. Pan African Medical Journal. 2022;41.
Nicolakakis N, Lafantaisie M, Letellier MC, Biron C, Vézina M, Jauvin N, et al. Are Organizational Interventions Effective in Protecting Healthcare Worker Mental Health During Epidemics/Pandemics? A Systematic Literature Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(15):9653.
Coleman A, Canham R, Clabon K, Hosseini P, Johnson S, Tongeren M v. A Deep Dive Into Selected Work Sectors During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the “Living With COVID” Phase: Understanding Similarities and Differences in Practice, Perceptions, and Preparedness. Ann Work Expo Health. 2023;67(9):1099–110.
Korman MB, Prospero LD, DasGupta T, Sinyor M, Anthony SJ, Kastner M, et al. Recommendations for Supporting Healthcare Workers’ Psychological Well-Being: Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Healthc Manage Forum. 2024;37(4):258–62.
Beale S, Burns R, Braithwaite I, Byrne T, Fong WLE, Fragaszy E, et al. Occupation, Worker Vulnerability, and COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake: Analysis of the Virus Watch Prospective Cohort Study. Vaccine. 2022;40(52):7646–52.
Moey PKS, Ang A, Ee A, Ng DCC, Ng M, Teo SSH, et al. What Are the Measures Taken to Prevent COVID-19 Infection Among Healthcare Workers? A Retrospective Study in a Cluster of Primary Care Clinics in Singapore. BMJ Open. 2021;11(6):e049190.
Azami NAM, Murad NAA, Nawi AM, Salleh SA, Periyasamy P, Kori N, et al. COVID-19 in Malaysia: Exposure Assessment and Prevention Practices Among Healthcare Workers at a Teaching Hospital. The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 2021;15(12):1816–24.
Trivedi N, Lowry M, Gaysynsky A, Chou WS. Factors Associated With Cancer Message Believability: A Mixed Methods Study on Simulated Facebook Posts. Journal of Cancer Education. 2021;37(6):1870–8.
Pedersen JE, Strandberg‐Larsen K, Andersson M, Hansen J. Breast Cancer Among Danish Women Occupationally Exposed to Diesel Exhaust and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, 1964–2016. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2020;47(2):154–62.
Pena P, Morais J, Gomes AQ, Viegas C. Sampling Methods and Assays Applied in SARS-CoV-2 Exposure Assessment. Sci Total Environ. 2021;775:145903.
Rivera‐Izquierdo M, Martínez‐Ruiz V, Castillo-Ruiz EM, Manzaneda-Navío M, Pérez‐Gómez B, Jiménez‐Moleón JJ. Shift Work and Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(4):1345.
Zhao H, Huang Y, Wang H, Zhao J, Tian S, Bai H, et al. Associations of SMAD4 Rs10502913 and NLRP3 Rs1539019 Polymorphisms With Risk of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis Susceptibility in Chinese Han Population. Pharmgenomics Pers Med. 2022;Volume 15:167–75.
Sun Y, Gao Y, Yu S, Wang A, Ou X, Tao D, et al. Promoting Physical Activity Among Workers: A Review of Literature and Future Directions on Developing Theory-Based Interventions. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(20):13594.
Khalid I, Khalid TJ, Qabajah MR, Barnard AG, Qushmaq I. Healthcare Workers Emotions, Perceived Stressors and Coping Strategies During a MERS-CoV Outbreak. Clin Med Res. 2016;14(1):7–14.
Arif AA, Delclos GL, Whitehead LW, Tortolero SR, Lee ES. Occupational Exposures Associated With Work‐related Asthma and Work‐related Wheezing Among U.S. Workers. Am J Ind Med. 2003;44(4):368–76.
Dickerson AS, Hansen J, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Specht AJ, Gredal O, Weisskopf MG. Study of Occupation and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a Danish Cohort. Occup Environ Med. 2018;75(9):630–8.
Perio MA d., Horter L, Still W, Meh I, Persson N, Berns AL, et al. Evaluation of Mpox Exposures and Outcomes in Workplaces, 6 Jurisdictions, June 1–August 31, 2022. Public Health Reports. 2024;139(6):744–9.
Hancock DB, Martin ER, Mayhew GM, Stajich JM, Jewett R, Stacy M, et al. Pesticide Exposure and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Family-Based Case-Control Study. BMC Neurol. 2008;8(1).
Koch–Henriksen N, Stenager E, Laursen B. The Use of Epidemiological Multiple Sclerosis Registers in Research: The Danish MS Registry. Acta Neurol Scand. 2012;126:7–12.
Grobler L, Mehtar S, Dheda K, Adams S, Babatunde S, Walt M v. d., et al. The Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in Health Care Workers in South Africa: A Systematic Review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2016;16(1).
Olu OO, Kargbo B, Kamara S, Wurie A, Amone J, Ganda L, et al. Epidemiology of Ebola Virus Disease Transmission Among Health Care Workers in Sierra Leone, May to December 2014: A Retrospective Descriptive Study. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15(1).
Cezár-Vaz MR, Xavier DM, Bonow CA, Vaz JC, Cardoso LS, Sant’Anna CF, et al. Domains of Physical and Mental Workload in Health Work and Unpaid Domestic Work by Gender Division: A Study With Primary Health Care Workers in Brazil. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(16):9816.
Margolis RD, Strupp KM, Beacham AO, Yaster M, Austin TM, Macrae AW, et al. The Effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Pediatric Anesthesiologists: A Survey of the Members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia. Anesth Analg. 2021;134(2):348–56.
Cooper DJ, Lear S, Sithole N, Shaw A, Stark H, Ferris M, et al. Demographic, Behavioural and Occupational Risk Factors Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection in UK Healthcare Workers: A Retrospective Observational Study. BMJ Open. 2022;12(11):e063159.
Pan Y, Fang Y, Xin M, Dong W, Zhou L, Hou Q, et al. Self-Reported Compliance With Personal Preventive Measures Among Chinese Factory Workers at the Beginning of Work Resumption Following the COVID-19 Outbreak: Cross-Sectional Survey Study. J Med Internet Res. 2020;22(9):e22457.
Vitturi BK, Montecucco A, Rahmani A, Dini G, Durando P. Occupational Risk Factors for Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Public Health. 2023;11.
Mekonnen TH, Dessie A, Tesfaye AH. Respiratory Symptoms Related to Flour Dust Exposure Are Significantly High Among Small and Medium Scale Flour Mill Workers in Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Survey. Environ Health Prev Med. 2021;26(1).
Alghader M, Valvi D, Hoz RE de la. Transmission and Risk Factors of COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;44(03):340–8.
Provost D, Iwatsubo Y, Rivière S, Mevel M, Didier A, Brochard P, et al. The Impact of Allergic Rhinitis on the Management of Asthma in a Working Population. BMC Pulm Med. 2015;15(1).
Brown‐Johnson C, Sanders‐Jackson A, Prochaska JJ. Online Comments on Smoking Bans in Psychiatric Hospitals Units. J Dual Diagn. 2014;10(4):204–11.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jurnal Riset Kualitatif dan Promosi Kesehatan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.