Occupational Health Education & Research Unit (OHERU)

The Occupational Health Education & Research Unit (OHERU) of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health drives education, thought leadership, and research in the occupational health arena. Our mission is to critically evaluate the contemporary issues in the health, safety, and well-being of individuals in the workplace.

We support education across a spectrum of levels, from undergraduate curricula and corporate continuing education and training (CET) courses to postgraduate qualifications and key courses in the Masters of Public Health. Through education, training, and empowerment, we equip individuals and organizations with the tools to create safer and healthier workplaces. We are also committed to being at the forefront of OH teaching pedagogy and seek to continue to improve our teaching methodologies

The structure of modern work introduces new challenges, with new definitions of the workplace, new worker habits, and the integration of AI into the collaborative working space, where workers and active AI-controlled elements work side by side. We seek to evaluate the impact of this evolution on the worker and provide thought leadership in structuring policies and processes in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Our mission includes raising awareness about the importance of workplace well-being and influencing policy to benefit employees and employers alike.

The programme conducts and supports research in key areas of interest that include work-related musculoskeletal disorders, mental health of workers, work capacity, and human factors in the workplace. We believe in research with impact and continuously assess our efforts to contribute to healthier and more productive workplaces effectively.

We understand that success in occupational health requires collaboration. We actively partner with organizations, industries, and communities, both locally and globally, to collectively promote better workplace health outcomes.

The Occupational Health Education & Research Unit (OHERU) organised the Designated Workplace Doctors (DWD) Conference 2025 on 8 Nov 2025.

Now in its second year, this one-day programme brought together DWDs and interested occupational safety and health professionals for refreshers on essential practice topics and updates on evolving challenges in occupational medicine.

Highlights included workshops on clinical examinations for statutory medical examinations, engaging talks by Occupational Medicine Specialists from our public hospitals, and insightful sessions and updates from the Ministry of Manpower. OHERU also welcomed vendor displays by Uvex, Ansell, and 3M, which showcased a range of personal protective equipment (PPE) and practical guidance on selecting appropriate PPE.

Thank you to all speakers, partners, and participants for a strong showing! OHERU look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.

Director, CEOH – A/Prof Ng Wee Tong

Snr Adviser, International Collaborations – Prof David Koh

Snr Adviser, Environmental Health – Prof Ong Choon Nam

Snr Adviser, OH Policy & Programmes – Prof Chia Kee Seng

Snr Adviser, Research Programmes – A/Prof Chia Sin Eng

For PhD, internship and attachment enquiries, kindly email ephngwt@nus.edu.sg.