IOM Chronology

1969

The UK National Coal Board sets up the Institute of Occupational Medicine as a registered charity. The purpose of the Institute is to carry out research into the health and hygiene in industry.

The Institute's first director was Dr John M Rogan.

1970

Key senior staff of the IOM publishes a landmark scientific paper in the journal Nature. This paper was a true landmark in the study of coalworkers' pneumoconiosis and the work standards needed to prevent the disease. These were based on the scientific achievements of the Pneumoconiosis Field Research (PFR) carried out by IOM staff, which were extraordinary, especially when it is realized that the work began when occupational epidemiology was really in its infancy.

JACOBSEN M, RAE S, WALTON WH, ROGAN JM. New dust standards for British coal mines. Nature 1970; 227: 445-447.

1971

The Asbestosis Research Foundation (ARF) was endowed at the IOM with the purpose of undertaking research into the risks to health from asbestos. The leading British asbestos manufacturing companies funded this initiative. The eminent scientist Dr JMG Davis directed the work.

During the following 20 years over 100 scientific papers were published from the work of the IOM-ARF.

Henry Walton wins the prestigious Yant Award from the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The award is presented annually for outstanding contributions in industrial hygiene or allied fields to an individual living outside the United States.

1972

Henry Walton, Deputy Director of IOM, takes on Editorship of the scientific journal the Annals of Occupational Hygiene.

1973

Start work on coalmine research funded by European Commission (through the European Coal and Steel Community)

1974

Dr Alastair Robertson and Fintan Hurley join IOM as part of a major expansion of our research.

1975

Institute staff took a prominent role in organising the fourth International Symposium on Inhaled Particles in Edinburgh. IOM will again take a major role in organizing the next Inhaled particles symposium in 2007.

1976

IOM publishes a paper on an international comparison of fibre counting. This work underlines the importance of standardization of the assessment methodology and quality assurance processes. These themes have been present in much of IOMs work in the following years.

BECKETT ST, HEY RK, HIRST R, HUNT RD, JARVIS JL, RICIGQUDS AL. A comparison of airborne asbestos fibre counting with and without an eyepiece graticule. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1976; 19: 69-76.

1977

Henry Walton and Steve Beckett publish the blueprint for a microscope graticule for counting asbestos fibres. This graticule has since become the universal standard used in fibre counting.

WALTON WH, BECKETT ST. A microscope eyepiece graticule for the evaluation of fibrous dusts. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1977; 20: 19-23.

1978

Anthony Seaton is appointed as the Director of the IOM.

The eminent aerosol scientist Jim Vincent joins IOM as Principal Scientist and Head of Physics Branch.

Trevor Ogden and Len Birkett publish details of the first practical sampling device to collect the dust that could be inhaled by workers. This was based on discussions that were held at the 1975 Inhaled Particles Symposium. This subsequently refined IOM Inhalable sampler has formed the basis for most modern workplace aerosol sampling.

Ogden, T. L. and Birkett, J. L. The human head as a dust sampler In Inhaled Particles IV, ed. W. H. Walton, pp.93-105. 1977; Pergamon Press, Oxford.

Ogden, T. L. and Birkett, J. L. An inhalable-dust sampler for measuring the hazard from total airborne particulate. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1978; 21, 41-50.

1979

IOM is nominated as the Central Reference Laboratory for asbestos fibre counting set up by the Asbestosis Research Council and the Health and Safety Executive. The main objective of the scheme was to minimise the errors within and between laboratories during the fibre counting procedures. This work has continued with the IOM running the UK Regular Inter-laboratory Counting Exchange (RICE) scheme for the UK.

1980

The World Health Organization arranges a meeting of scientists to discuss measurement of man-made mineral fibres. The main recommendation of the meeting was that IOM should be appointed to manage and coordinate the work of a new WHO MMMF Reference Scheme and develop methods for measuring fibres. IOM collaborated with a number of leading European laboratories in the work. IOM continues to run a proficiency testing scheme for laboratories that count MMMF samples. We are also a WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health.

1981

Anthony Seaton and other senior staff at the IOM publish a landmark paper on the role of quartz in the causation of coal workers pneumoconiosis. This paper…

SEATON A, DICK JA, DODGSON J, JACOBSEN M. Quartz and pneumoconiosis in coal miners. Lancet 1981; ii: 1272-1275.

Jim Dodgson, Head of IOMs Environment Branch, becomes president of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

1982

This was a "bumper" year for IOM publications with 48 scientific papers published and 25 technical reports. The output included and important paper from Fintan Hurley on simple pneumoconiosis in coalminers…

HURLEY JF, BURNS J, COPLAND L, DODGSON J, JACOBSEN M. Coalworkers' simple pneumoconiosis and exposure to dust at 10 British coalmines. British Journal of Industrial Medicine 1982; 39: 120-127.

We also published work on stress in coalminers…

GRAVELING RA. An investigation of stress in coal-face workers and the temporal variation of such stress. In: European Coal and Steel Community. Ergonomics in the ECSC industries (1975-1980). Proceedings of the third ergonomics and rehabilitation programme. Closing conference. Luxembourg, 15-17 December 1980. Vol.i. Luxembourg: CEC (ECSC) Community Ergonomics Action, 1981: (Community Ergonomics Action Report No.4 - Series 3).

1983

The IOM receives the Sir Frederic Bartlett Medal from the Ergonomics Society for the research carried out by our Ergonomics Branch.

1984

Anthony Seaton publishes a paper summarising the IOMs research on the health risks associated with oil shale.

SEATON A. Hazards to health in the shale oil industry: lessons from Scotland. In: Wagner WL, Rom WN, Merchant JA, eds. Health issues related to metal and nonmetallic mining. Boston: Butterworth Publishers, 1983: 437-442.

IOM staff help a major oil company with the removal of asbestos insulation from a floating oil storage unit located in the middle of the North Sea.

1985

IOM publishes the result of the work from WHO Man-made Mineral Fibre (MMMF) Reference Scheme. This has included the development of the fibre counting method that in 2006 becomes the standard method of fibre counting in Europe.

DODGSON J (CHAIRMAN). The WHO/EURO man-made mineral fibre reference scheme. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 1985; 11: 123-129.

Anthony Seaton delivers the Society of Occupational Medicine Golden Jubilee Lecture on "Developments in the prevention of occupational lung disease during the past 50 years".

1986

Dr John Davis and his team publish results that conclusively demonstrate that it is really only the longer asbestos fibres that are harmful.

DAVIS JMG, ADDISON J, BOLTON RE, DONALDSON K, JONES AD, SMITH T. The pathogenicity of long versus short fibre samples of amosite asbestos administered to rats by inhalation and intraperitoneal injection. British Journal of Experimental Pathology 1986; 67: 415-430.

1987

Jim Vincent presents a paper at the first International Aerosol Conference in Minneapolis…

VINCENT JH, MARK D. Recent developments in dust sampling in relation to health effects. Extended abstract. In: Liu BYH, Pui DYH, Fissan HJ, eds. Aerosols. Science, technology, and industrial applications of airborne particles. Proceedings of the First International Aerosol Conference held September 17-21 1984, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. New York: Elsevier, 1984: 166-168.

1988

IOM supervise a large-scale remediation project where the land was contaminated with asbestos.

IOM scientists present a number of papers at a major scientific conference on the potential cancer risk of man-made mineral fibre (MMMF). We were responsible for the estimation of exposure for a large mortality study in the European industry.

Simonato L, Fletcher AC, Cherrie JW, Andersen A, Bertazzi P, Charnay N, Claude J, Dodgson J, Esteve J, Frentzel - Beyme R, Gardner MJ, Jensen 0, Olsen J, Teppo L, Winkelmann R, Winter PD, Winter D, Zoccetti C, Saracci R. The International Agency for Research on Cancer historical cohort study of MMMF production workers in seven European countries: extension of the follow - up. In: Walton WH, ed. Man - made mineral fibres in the working environment. Proceedings of an International Symposium Copenhagen, 28-29 October 1986. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1987: 603 - 623. (Annals of Occupational. Hygiene; 31(4B)).

1989

The Institute publishes a report summarising "twenty years of achievement". In the foreword the world-renowned epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll said that the IOM "…has learnt to tackle research into any aspect of occupational health. The Institute, alone in Britain, is able to complete on an international scale with the large institutes funded by industry in other countries and, through its work, Britain will be able to take a leading role in the European Community in teaching and research in the field of occupational health."

Jim Vincent publishes his textbook Aerosol Sampling: Science and Practice, published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

1990

The IOM becomes completely independent of British Coal and embarks on a new era with the aim of becoming the UK's main independent health and safety research and consulting organisation.

Dr Colin Soutar is appointed as Chief Executive.

The Colt Foundation, a major UK charitable sponsor of occupational health research, establishes the Colt Fibre Research Programme to carry out investigations into the safety of mineral fibres. The programme was to run for more than ten years and produced several influential scientific papers.

1991

IOM and the University of Aberdeen collaborate in organising a Master of Science degree course.

The culmination of the research undertaken by IOM into back pain results in an article on aspects of prevention.

Graveling RA. The prevention of back pain from manual handling. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1991; 35: 427-432.

1992

We complete an environmental impact assessment of a tyre burning power generating plant that was to be built in Scotland. As a result of our evaluation the plant is not built.

A major emergency incident involving phosphine gas occurs at Leith docks in Edinburgh. IOM scientists are on the scene helping to ensure that the area is safe for reoccupation and there is no risk for the local community.

1993

The IOM undertook a review of the health, safety and environmental implications of a new lead and zinc smelter in India. This work was commission by the UK government Overseas Development Agency. We believe that as a result of our recommendations the health of the workers and the surrounding community has been assured.

1994

Our asbestos consulting continues to expand. This work helps ensure that remedial works are undertaken safely and that the areas where work is complete may be safely reoccupied.

1995

Scientists at IOM devise a better way of measuring chemicals on the skin of workers. This work results in a grant from the Health and Safety Executive to develop a practical version of the sampler for use with the hazardous substance toluene.

Cherrie JW, Robertson A. (1995) Biologically relevant assessment of dermal exposure. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 39: 387-392.

Lindsay FE, Semple S, Robertson A, Cherrie JW. (2005) Development of a Biologically Relevant Dermal Sampler. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 50:85-94.

The International Standards Organization published ISO 7708:1995, Air quality -- Particle size fraction definitions for health-related sampling.

This document, which relies on pioneering research undertaken at IOM, defines sampling conventions for assessing health effects of airborne particles in the workplace and ambient environment. Three conventions are defined - inhalable, thoracic and respirable. The IOM Inhalable dust sample is widely accepted as one of the standard instruments for measuring workplace aerosols.

1996

We publish three papers describing attitudes to mechanical lifting aids in hospitals. These devices are important tools to prevent injuries to nurses and other staff.

McGuire T, Moody J, Hanson M. (1996). An evaluation of mechanical aids used within the NHS. Nursing Standard; 1 l(6): 33-38.

1997

IOM reorganises into two divisions to facilitate a major expansion. The new Consulting and Research Divisions are headed by Alastair Robertson and Fintan Hurley.

1998

We open a new office in Chesterfield. There are also new sales and marketing developments introduced to facilitate growth in our consulting services.

1999

IOM scientists win the Thomas Bedford memorial Prize for the best paper published in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene between 1998 and 1999. This was for work completed as part of the Colt Fibre Research Programme.

Miller BG, Jones AD, Searl A, Buchanan D, Cullen RT, Soutar CA, Davis JMG, Donaldson K. (1999). Influence of characteristics of inhaled fibres on development of tumours in the rat lung. Annals of Occupational Hygiene; 43; 167-179.

IOM collaborate with Dr Peter Baxter from the University of Cambridge and other scientists…

Baxter PJ, Bonadonna C, Dupree R, Hards VL, Kohn SC, Murphy MD, Nichols A, Nicholson RA, Norton G, Searl A, Sparks RSJ, Vickers BP. (1999). Cristobalite in volcanic ash of the Southfriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat, British West Indies. Science; 283: 1142-1145.

2000

IOM and the Heriot-Watt University are commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive to deliver a Postgraduate Diploma course for health and safety inspectors.

2001

IOM publish the results from a major epidemiological study of sheep farmers who have used organophosphate chemicals. The work showed that number of symptoms of ill-health were associated with exposure to organophosphates and there was some evidence of mild clinical effects. Because of this work the Government withdrew authorization to use these products until manufacturers improved the design of concentrate containers to minimise exposure.

Pilkington A, Buchanan D, Jamal GA, Gillham R, Hansen S, Kidd M, Hurley JF, Soutar CA. (2001). An epidemiological study of the relations between exposure to organophosphate pesticides and indices of chronic peripheral neuropathy and neuropsychological abnormalities in sheep farmers and dippers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine; 58: 702-710.

Our scientists also publish the results from a major European epidemiological study of workers manufacturing ceramic fibres. The research shows that there is no serious non-malignant respiratory health effects associated with these fibres.

Cowie HA, Wild P, Beck J, Auburtin G, Piekarski C, Massin N, Cherrie JW, Hurley JF, Miller, BG, Groat, S, Soutar CA. (2001). An epidemiological study of the respiratory health of workers in the European refactory ceramic fibre industry. Occupational and Environmental Medicine; 58: 800-810.

2002

After more than 20 years of research into the potential cancer risks of man-made mineral fibres the team of scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), IOM and many other scientists publish the definitive results about lung cancer risks in the European industry.

Kjaerheim K, Boffetta P, Hansen J, Cherrie JW, Chang-Claude J, Eilber U, Ferro G, Guldner K, Olsen JH, Plato N, Proud L, Saracci R, Westerholm P, Andersen A. (2002) A case-control study of lung cancer nested in a cohort of European rock and slag wool production workers. Epidemiology; 13: 445-453.

IOM opens a new office in Stafford. This office concentrates on occupational hygiene and asbestos consulting work.

2003

IOM moves to its new purpose built headquarters at Riccarton, adjacent to Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

The move reflects the increased demand for IOM services and is designed to help us continue to provide high quality services to our clients.

Dr Sue Gordon and colleagues provide the only facility in the UK to measure exposure to the allergens generated by laboratory animals. This work and the special expertise of our staff has helped identify appropriate strategies to protect laboratory workers from asthma.

Gordon S, Preece R. (2003). Prevention of laboratory animal allergy. Occupational Medicine; 53: 371-377.

2004

IOM opens new office in London office. This office is mainly involved with asbestos consulting services.

Our staff provide advice to local hospitals about ventilation in operating theatres.

2005

Dr Philip Woodhead is appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer in succession to Dr Colin Soutar. As part of these changes Fintan Hurley is appointed to be IOMs first Scientific Director.

Anthony Seaton and Ken Donaldson, from the University of Edinburgh, publish an article in the Lancet on the toxicity of nanoparticles.

Seaton A, Donaldson K. (2005). Nanoscience, nanotoxicology, and the need to think small. Lancet; 365: 923-924.

IOM wet-work sampler was invented as part of a research study investigating dermatitis risks from metal working fluids. This sampler allows investigators to measure the number of times the hand is wet and the duration of wetness, which are probably the best exposure metrics to assess the risk of dermatitis from wet working.

IOM forms a new collaboration - the Safety of Nanomaterials Interdisciplinary Research Centre (SnIRC). One of SnIRC's main aims is to become the UK centre for information and advice on the potential health, safety and environmental impacts of nano-materials, especially nanoparticles and nanotubes.

We provide health and safety advice for contractors undertaking the demolition of a large industrial site.