title: Commentary on the contributions and future role of occupational exposure science in a vision and strategy for the discipline of exposure science.
abstract: Exposure science is a holistic concept without prejudice to exposure source. Traditionally, measurements aimed at mitigating environmental exposures have not included exposures in the workplace, instead considering such exposures to be an internal affair between workers and their employers. Similarly, occupational (or industrial) hygiene has not typically accounted for environmental contributions to poor health at work. Many persons spend a significant amount of their lifetime in the workplace, where they maybe exposed to more numerous chemicals at higher levels than elsewhere in their environment. In addition, workplace chemical exposures and other exogenous stressors may increase epigenetic and germline modifications that are passed on to future generations. We provide a brief history of the development of exposure science from its roots in the assessment of workplace exposures, including an appendix where we detail current resources for education and training in exposure science offered through occupational hygiene organizations. We describe existing successful collaborations between occupational and environmental practitioners in the field of exposure science, which may serve as a model for future interactions. Finally, we provide an integrated vision for the field of exposure science, emphasizing interagency collaboration, the need for complete exposure information in epidemiological studies, and the importance of integrating occupational, environmental, and residential assessments. Our goal is to encourage communication and spur additional collaboration between the fields of occupational and environmental exposure assessment. Providing a more comprehensive approach to exposure science is critical to the study of the "exposome", which conceptualizes the totality of exposures throughout a person's life, not only chemical, but also from diet, stress, drugs, infection, and so on, and the individual response.
authors: Exposure Assessment Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 1095 Willowdale Road MS-3030, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Harper
authors: Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Weis
authors: Methods Development and Applications Branch, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
authors: Joachim D
authors: JD
authors: Pleil
authors: Division of Laboratory Science, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Benjamin C
authors: BC
authors: Blount
authors: Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors: Aubrey
authors: A
authors: Miller
authors: Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
authors: Mark D
authors: MD
authors: Hoover
authors: Jahn Industrial Hygiene, Aiken, South Carolina, USA.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Jahn
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D019550:Environmental Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D009787:Occupational Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States