Preface

Chapter 8 **Gene-Environment Interactions: The Case of Asbestosis 159** Vita Dolzan, Metoda Dodic-Fikfak and Alenka Franko

Chapter 9 **Ibuprofen as a Treatment for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Effectiveness versus Caveats 181**

Chapter 10 **Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Relationship**

**Section 3 Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders 179**

Mary F. Barbe and Ann E. Barr-Gillespsie

**to Ethnicity 207** Rosana M. Quintana

**VI** Contents

**Section 4 Occupational Protection 221**

Radostina A. Angelova

Chapter 11 **Working in Cold Environment: Clothing and Thermophysiological Comfort 223**

Chapter 12 **Step-By-Step Procedure and Tools to Reduce Work-Related Stress 237** Azra Huršidić Radulović

*Occupational Health* is one of the book titles proposed by InTech in early 2016. I got very ex‐ cited and thrilled when I got the invitation to edit this book. It was a dream to collect vari‐ ous manuscripts from scientists throughout the world to discuss occupational health issues in several countries. InTech's invitation made this dream come true.

This book covers topics from health and safety management, occupational medicine, workrelated musculoskeletal disorders, and occupational protection. Thus, it can be utilized as a guide to identify and analyze hazards, assess risk, apply risk reduction strategies, and man‐ age process safety for various occupations.

In these chapters, you will find all aspects of health and safety in the workplace. To this extent, a wide array of workplace hazards that include physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, chemicals, biological agents, and a complex network of safety risks has been dis‐ cussed extensively.

The first step to cover was to select and disseminate the keywords, which helped us to re‐ ceive numerous abstracts. These abstracts were then carefully evaluated, and those that were believed to contribute significantly to the literature were invited to take their place in this book. It took several months to edit each and every word of the sent chapters. It was a very fruitful feedback process that we had with our authors.

In this book, you will read chapters from authors in Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, India, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, and the USA. They discussed the occupational health issues from their perspectives and reflected and provided solution to the problems experienced from their own eyes. Thus, it makes the contents of this book interest‐ing and very valuable.

I, hereby, would like to thank Ms. Martina Usljebrka who helped me with positive attitude at every single step of the publication process. Moreover, I would like to thank my dear wife, Bakiye Yalınç, for her support and encouragement.

> **Orhan Korhan, PhD** Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Turkey

**Health and Safety Management**

#### **New Paradigms in Ergonomics: The Positive Ergonomics** New Paradigms in Ergonomics: The Positive Ergonomics

Mohamed Mokdad and Tawfik Abdel-Moniem Mohamed Mokdad and Tawfik Abdel-Moniem

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/67064

#### Abstract

This chapter aims look at ergonomics from a positive point of view. According to International Ergonomics Association, ergonomics is "the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance". The major types of ergonomics. Some of them are physical, cognitive, and positive ergonomics. Positive ergonomics: Positive ergonomics refers to a new type of ergonomics that stresses the positive aspects of the man-machine system. Its major interest is to make "humanmachine system" enjoyable where the human feels pleasant. Emotional ergonomics: Similar to positive ergonomics, emotional ergonomics refers to a type of ergonomics that pays attention to the emotional aspects of the man-machine system. Spiritual ergonomics: Spiritual ergonomics is based on the idea that spirit is a key factor which determines the employee's health and success in the man machine system, no matter what he/she is doing in that system. New approach to Occupational health: When considering the legacy of occupational health, we find that two approaches were adopted throughout of its history. These are: professional harmonization and ergonomics approaches.

Keywords: positive ergonomics, positive design, emotional ergonomics, emotional design, spiritual ergonomics, spiritual design
