Reference Texts


Although information may not be as current as that obtained on-line, authoritative texts represent a convenient first, and often definitive, source of information. A few of the more significant ones are:

  • Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene. 5th Ed. Plog, Barbara and Patricia Quinlain. Chicago, IL: National Safety Council, 2001.
  • Hathaway, Gloria J., Nick H. Proctor, and James P. Hughes. Proctor and Hughes' Chemical Hazards in the Workplace. 4th Ed. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1996. Provides definitive information on effects of exposure and on treatment approaches. This is the classic text on over 500 chemicals that may produce workplace exposure.
  • The Occupational Environment Its Evaluation and Control. 2nd Ed. Dinardi, Salvatore. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2003.
  • Occupational Medicine. 3rd Ed. Zenz, Carl, O. Bruce Dickerson, Edward P. Horvath. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Mosby, 1994. Provides information on occupational medicine principles and practice as well as on specific hazards and agents.
  • Physical and Biological Hazards in the Workplace. Wald, Peter and Gregg M. Stave. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 2001. Focuses on physical and biological hazard in the workplace and serves as a companion to Proctor and Hughes' Chemical Hazards in the Workplace (see next listing). Available on CD-ROM.
  • On the Practice of Safety. Manuele, Fred A. 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Wiley-Interscience, 2003. Discusses basic principles and aspects of safety as an evolving discipline.
  • Patty's Industrial Hygiene. 5th Ed. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2000. Presents principles and practice of industrial hygiene and hazard evaluation and control. Four volume set.
    • Volume 1: Part I, Introduction to Industrial Hygiene
    • Volume 1: Part II, Recognition and Evaluation of Chemical Agents
    • Volume 2: Part III, Physical Agents
    • Volume 2: Part IV, Biohazards
    • Volume 3: Part V, Engineering Control and Personal Protection
    • Volume 3: Part VI, Law, Regulation, and Management
    • Volume 4: Part VII, Specialty Areas and Allied Professions
  • Patty's Toxicology. 5th Ed. Bingham, Eula, Cohrssen, Barbara, and Charles H. Powell. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2001. Provides comprehensive guide to toxicological data for industrial chemicals. Coverage includes other industrial toxicology issues. Eight volume set with cumulative index. CD-ROM version available. Previous editions published with title: Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology.
  • Recognition of Health Hazards in Industries: A Review of Materials and Processes. 2nd Edition. Burgess, William A. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1995. Contains work-site analyses that facilitate recognition of health problems in design and operation of industrial processes. In addition to identifying health issues, provides information on control measures.
  • Rogers, Bonnie. Occupational Health Nursing--Concepts and Practice. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 1994. Provides clinical nursing guidelines for common occupational health problems. Primary reference for occupational health nursing principles and practice.
  • Vincoll, Jeffrey W. Basic Guide to Accident Investigation and Loss Control. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1994. Provides information on safety principles, techniques, including preparation of safety system applications.

The above represent only a small listing of the many textbooks available. OHS groups periodically provide listings of "Core" OHS libraries. One example is that prepared through a peer-review process by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.