A decade in focus: occupational health and safety research trends - a bibliometric approach

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a critical area of research due to its direct impact on worker well-being and productivity. Understanding the evolving trends and patterns within this domain provides valuable perspectives on the global focus and advancements made over the past decade. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of OHS literature to map its intellectual structure, identify influential contributors, and highlight emerging themes.

Methods: A bibliometric study was conducted analyzing publications from 2014 to 2024 in Scopus on occupational health and safety. Descriptive statistics, co-word clustering, and citation network analysis were performed on 664 articles from 223 sources.

Results: Results reveal significant increases in annual publications and citations over time, indicating a growing priority in the field. The US, Canada, Turkey, and Iran emerged as leading contributors. Core institutions, such as NIOSH and selected universities, demonstrated intense leadership. Key researchers publishing the most include Hasle, Gibb, Iavolici, and Mori. Key thematic areas included occupational health nursing, diseases, construction safety, risk assessment approaches, and management strategies, with risk assessment emerging as a particularly influential methodology.

Conclusion: Occupational safety research is demonstrating dynamic global growth with sustained high-quality outputs from the leaders of core institutions. Methodological innovations and interdisciplinary priorities necessitate ongoing investigation.