The primary research areas of the Division of Occupational Safety include studies on safety management policies, mechanical safety, electrical safety, construction safety, chemical safety and function of personal protection equipment. Main research orientations are: survey and evaluation of working environment of risk control and inherent safety technology; confirmation, testing and improvement of designs of personal protection equipment.

Research on Mechanical Safety

Mechanical safety is critical for preventing the mechanical injuries, which are the most among the occupational injuries. Areas of mechanical safety research include safety of dangerous machinery and equipment, vehicle machinery, tool machinery, and hand tools and development of monitoring and controlling systems in mechanical safety. Currently, the studies completed include development in safety devices of crane and gondola, pressure vessel inspection techniques, safety research on injection molding machines, etc. Accomplishments include patents gaining from researches include alarm devices for preventing hydraulic brake failure in construction vehicles, over-winding and over-loading prevention devices for crane, and virtual reality training system for crane, etc.

Research on Construction Safety

At this stage, IOSH's most important work in the prevention of occupational injuries covers research works on construction safety. Areas covered by research in construction safety include: construction safety regulations, falseworks, warning device for various construction methods, and construction safety management. In accordance with scopes and difficulties of research, short, medium and long-term plans have been outlined. Short-term research includes a comparison of construction safety regulations and safety management research. This is to provide the CLA with a theoretical basis to amend regulations and formulate countermeasures Medium and long-term research are primarily focused on the study and development of safety engineering technologies, and risk management. Results can be transferred to the construction industries. The characteristics of construction safety research is that in addition to safety, it also takes into account economic benefits to attract construction industries to adopt these measures and achieve the goal of injury prevention.

Research on Chemical Safety

Areas of research in chemical safety include technology for production safety and risk evaluation. In accordance with research scopes, they can be divided into: survey on hazards in factories and preventive measures, research on chemical runaway reaction, safety evaluation of high risk facilities in Fab, development of risk assessment technology, test on characteristics of fire and explosive substances and development of controlling technology. Currently, the design of a "fault-tree" computer-aided software, establishment of the standard investigation steps of dust and steam-explosion, safety checklist for four vacuum pressure facilities and gas supply system in Fab, and safety data sheets for chemical industry have been completed have been completed.

Research on Electrical Safety

Eelectrical safety research areas are divided into the prevention of electrocution, explosion-protected electrical apparatus, static electricity safety and electromagnetic interference. In response to the high incidence of occupational injuries caused by electrocution and the usage problems of explosion-protected electrical apparatus in plants, emphasis of short-term electrical safety research is on prevention of electrocution and explosion-protected electrical apparatus. At present, research includes exploration of the problems about electrical leakage circuit breaker and electrocution preventing device for AC welding machine, development of a alarm device to keep mobile crane from hitting overhead power line, survey of electrocution accidents and establishment of the guides of usage of explosion-protected electricity apparatus.

Occupational Safety Management Policy

Studies of occupational safety management policy are primarily divided into statistical analysis of trends of occupational injuries, study of regulations, evaluation of organizational functions and countermeasures to respond to future occupational injuries. Through the development of new indicators for occupational injuries and study of management technologies, one hopes to elevate the safety consciousness of both employers and employees. Based on types of occupational injuries, regional characteristics and personal factors of workers, reports on current trends have been issued to effectively support the formulation of policies. Studies in the feasibility for formulation or amendment of regulations, evaluation of safety management organizations, and research on results of labor inspection are conducted to strengthen management functions.

Research on Safety Protection Equipment of Workers

The provision of appropriate safety protective equipment is the last means to prevent injuries. Areas of IOSH's research on safety protective equipment include: features evaluation, comfort improvement and new modal development of safety protective equipment. Currently, studies on safety helmets , eye protector, and safety belts, performance tests and improvement of their designs have been completed.. Part of these research applications have already been transferred to manufactures and commercialized. Meanwhile, emphasis of future research will be on establishment of test standards and aging tests of safety protective equipment.