It is fi ve years since the publication of the fourth edition, and the new century has proved a period of enormous change in the fi eld of occupational health. The importance of trying to reduce the costs of health care has led the government to continue to look closely at the need for prevention in respect of work - related disease, and to consider how occu- pational health cover might be extended to more workers, especially those in small and medium - sized enterprises. The Health and Safety Executive, which in the past tended to concentrate mainly.
