A new occupational health prevention for a new work environment: needs, principles and challenges

At the turn of the XXI century, the emergence of new forms of work organization are transforming what had become standard forms of work arrangement in industrialized countries. In this new work environment, new firms, new types of workers and new risk factors are powerfully emerging. Contrary to common belief, we argue that emergent occupational health hazards should not be approached only as "technical" or "economic" value-free problems. Rather, we contend that many of the new challenges faced by occupational health policy are largely related to professional values as well as to the political ideologies and economic interests of key players in the decision-making process. Some of the key principles needed to put into action efficient and equitable occupational health policies in the new work environment are discussed. We end with an alternative proposal on the necessary conditions and settings to address the new challenges that are needed to reach effective occupational health policy.