WOS 2026

The 13th International Conference Working on Safety (WOS 2026) took place in Nicosia and Limassol, Cyprus, from September 15 to 18, 2026, bringing together academics, researchers, students, and practitioners in Occupational Safety and Health from 36 countries around the world.

Held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Occupational Safety and Health: Innovation, Resilience, and Wellbeing”, WOS 2026 created a space for researchers, policy-makers, and professionals to exchange knowledge, present new research, discuss emerging challenges, and explore practical approaches to creating safer and healthier workplaces.

The conference was organised by CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology and European University Cyprus, bringing together an international community around one of the most important questions facing modern workplaces: how can occupational safety and health continue to evolve as technology, working environments, and societal expectations change?

The event was held in person at the St Raphael Resort and Marina, a luxury five-star resort offering modern conference facilities in a seaside setting. Just a short distance from the conference venue, participants could also discover the Amathus Ruins, an ancient archaeological site featuring the remains of one of the oldest royal cities in Cyprus.

Programme

The programme of WOS 2026 was built around four major conference topics, reflecting some of the most important developments and challenges currently shaping Occupational Safety and Health.

• In the pursuit of Health and Wellbeing

• Vision Zero
• Education, Training and Research
• Emerging Risks, Digitalisation and AI

A series of invited keynote presentations complemented the programme, allowing participants to hear from internationally recognised experts and explore current research and perspectives across the conference themes.

• Guido Micheli from Politecnico di Milano presented “Emerging Risks, Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence at Work”, addressing the rapidly changing technological landscape and its implications for workplace safety.
• Frank Guldenmund presented “Safety Education, Training and Research”, highlighting the importance of education, training, and research in developing effective approaches to occupational safety.
• Gerard I.J.M. Zwetsloot presented “Vision Zero: Opportunities and Challenges”, examining the opportunities and challenges associated with the Vision Zero approach and its role in occupational safety.
• Maria Albin from Karolinska Institute presented “In the pursuit of health and wellbeing”, focusing on the relationship between occupational environments, health, and wellbeing.
• Michael B. Blayney from UL Research Institutes & UL Standards & Engagement presented “Three Organizations, One Vision: Advancing the Science of Prevention”

Selected papers from WOS 2026 will also be submitted to a special issue of Safety Science, allowing selected conference research to contribute to the wider international literature in the field.

The conference concluded with the WOS 2026 Young Scientist Award, recognising emerging researchers and their contributions to Occupational Safety and Health.

• Tatiana Mendes received the WOS 2026 Young Scientist Award – First Place (€3000) for her paper on “Artificial Intelligence in OSH: The Impact of Chatbots on the Teaching-Learning Process”.
• Agata Kmiecik received the WOS Young Scientist Award 2026 – Second Place (€2000) for her research on “Clothing with enhanced protection against ionizing radiation – challenges and prospects”.
• Antonino La Monica received the WOS Young Scientist Award 2026 – Third Place (€1000) for his paper on “Beyond Workers’ Performance: Systematic Literature Review of Cognitive Ergonomics in Industrial Human-Robot Collaboration”.
• Eden Li received the WOS Young Scientist Award 2026 – Forth Place for the paper titled “Emerging risks and interventions in digitalising work: lessons from Western Australia’s mining industry”.
• Lena Schwerdt received the WOS Young Scientist Award 2026 – Fifth Place for her paper on “They will sort it out down there somehow: Occupational safety and health cooperation in complex supply chains”.
• Aslihan Memisoglu-Güngör received the WOS Young Scientist Award 2026 – Sixth Place for her research on”Occupational Safety in Global Textile Supply Chains – Development and Empirical Evaluation of a Participation-Oriented Remote Training Concept”.

Elsevier for 50 Years of Science sponsored the award for the best WOS 2026 abstract.

• The prize of €1000 was received by Alexander Kruse & Lazaros Papachristodoulou

The awards highlighted the importance of supporting the next generation of researchers and giving young scientists opportunities to present their work, exchange ideas with established researchers, and become part of the international Occupational Safety and Health community.

 

Social Events

WOS 2026 was not only about presentations and research discussions. The social programme gave participants time to step away from the formal programme, meet colleagues, reconnect with old friends, and create new professional and personal bonds.

The Welcome Reception took place at the premises of European University Cyprus in Nicosia. Participants enjoyed canapés, local drinks, and informal conversations in a relaxed setting, providing an opportunity to begin the conference experience before the main scientific programme got underway. The Conference Dinner Beach Party took place in the gardens of the St Raphael Resort and Marina. Attendees enjoyed drinks, music, and the atmosphere of a Mediterranean evening by the coast.

Acknowlegments

The success of WOS 2026 was supported by the local organising committee, with Prof. Georgios Boustras, Dr. Cleo Varianou-Mikellidou, Dr. Olga Nicolaidou, and Dr. Christos Dimopoulos helping to ensure the smooth operation of the conference and providing support throughout the event.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Georgios Boustras welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of bringing researchers, academics, and practitioners together around the shared goal of improving Occupational Safety and Health.

“WOS 2026 brings together an international community with a shared commitment to making workplaces safer, healthier, and more resilient. The exchange of research, experience, and ideas during this conference is important because the challenges facing Occupational Safety and Health are constantly changing. By working together across disciplines and countries, we can help shape the future of safety and wellbeing at work.”

The conference was hosted by CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology and European University Cyprus.

CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology is a cross-disciplinary Center of Excellence at European University Cyprus, focusing on research, education, training, and consulting in risk and decision sciences.

European University Cyprus is an international private university established in 1961, with a strong focus on academic excellence, research, innovation, and international engagement. The university offers programmes across a broad range of disciplines and maintains an international academic community, with its main campus located in Nicosia.

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement were the main sponsors of WOS 2026. UL Research Institutes is an independent nonprofit research organisation focused on advancing public safety through scientific discovery, while UL Standards & Engagement translates safety science into standards, partnerships, and advocacy that support safer, more secure, and sustainable environments. UL Standards & Engagement is a nonprofit safety organization that convenes experts and leaders across the world to deliver impact through standards, education, and advocacy.

Elsevier supported WOS 2026 as the Gold Welcome Reception Sponsor. Elsevier is a global provider of scientific, technical, and medical information and analytics, supporting researchers and academic communities through publications, research platforms, and tools that help transform knowledge into action.

DGS CRM Cyprus also supported the conference, contributing to the network of organisations helping to bring the WOS 2026 community together.

The participants were offered a gift from Cyprus, Perspex coasters featuring selected motifs from the By the Sea painting series (2016-2026) by the Cypriot artist Nicholas A. Ladommatos. Dinos Yiangos from Yiangos Photography covered the conference proceedings, speakers, participants, and key moments of the event, creating lasting memories.

The conference was further supported by EasyConferences, which provided a range of digital and conference management services. These included the Online Registration System, Abstract Submission Platform, Conference Coordination Services, and the Conference Application.

Next Location

The WOS community will next come together in 2028 in Milan, Italy, continuing the international journey of the Working on Safety conference series. The move to Milan will provide another opportunity for academics, researchers, students, practitioners, and other professionals working in Occupational Safety and Health to exchange knowledge and explore new developments in the field.