In this inspiring episode, Dr. Richard Heron welcomes Dr. Ivan Ivanov — global leader in occupational and workers’ health — for a wide-ranging conversation recorded at the Royal College of Physicians in London.

Dr. Ivanov reflects on his 40+ year journey from aspiring surgeon in Bulgaria to factory health inspector, national reformer, and ultimately Head of Workers’ Health at the World Health Organization.

He shares how hands-on workplace experience shaped his approach to global health policy, why occupational health must remain rooted in real workplaces, and how the field is evolving from preventing harm to creating thriving, happy, and productive working lives.

The discussion explores shifting risk landscapes, the rise of psychosocial and digital-era hazards, the importance of evidence-based occupational health, universal health coverage, protecting healthcare workers, and the urgent need to redefine and better explain “occupational health” for future generations.

This episode is a celebration of leadership, curiosity, and a career built not on “work,” but on passion.

 Key Topics Discussed

• From surgery to public health: finding a calling in occupational health
• Early experiences as a factory health inspector in Bulgaria
• Transition from socialist systems to market economies and EU integration
• Building national and global workers’ health policies at WHO
• Why real workplace experience matters in occupational health
• Changing risk landscapes: physical, psychosocial, and digital-era risks
• From preventing disease to creating happy, healthy workplaces
• The business case for investing in workers’ health
• Combating “snake oil” and ensuring competence in occupational health services
• Integrating occupational health into primary healthcare
• Protecting healthcare workers and lessons from Ebola and COVID-19
• Challenges in defining and naming occupational health
• Advice to the next generation of occupational health leaders

Memorable Quotes

• “I was doing surgery — but on the social body, not the human body.”
• “Occupational health is extremely practical. If you cut ties with real workplaces, you fail.”
• “Nobody says thank you for the disease they didn’t get.”
• “Investing in good occupational health has enormous return on investment.”
• “I never worked a day — I only had fun, because I loved what I was doing.”

The SOM podcast is sponsored by Orchid Live - specialist occupational health software used by a number of SOM members to run every aspect of their occupational health operations. They hold healthcare records for over 1 million UK workers and work with both in-house OH teams and OH providers. You can find out more at OrchidLive.com.