The universities of Geneva and Lausanne each create an Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP). The Lausanne institute comprises a department of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene which is led by a physician, Dr. Marc Lob, assisted by a secretary and a laboratory technician. The subject of ergonomics is absent from the Lausanne institute but is developed in Geneva in the Occupational Medicine and Ergonomics Unit (UMTE) of IUMSP.
Geneva University acquires a university study centre for industrial ecology (ECOTRA). This interdisciplinary centre also takes on a public service role and is closely involved in workplace inspections. Like UMTE, it is led by Paule Rey.
In Lausanne, the department of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, which consists of a well-established and internationally reputed team, breaks away from IUMSP and becomes the “University Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene”.
The Institute of Occupational Health Sciences (Institut universitaire romand de Santé au Travail: IURST or IST), a private law foundation, is born when the Lausanne structure is merged with UMTE and ECOTRA. Led by Professor Guillemin, IST becomes organised around units of occupational medicine, occupational hygiene, ergonomics and analytical laboratories, at the forefront of scientific research.
Professor Danuser takes over at the head of IST and continues to implement major reorganisation. The institute is henceforth organised into three academic divisions: Workers’ Health, Work Environment (hygiene) and World of Labour (ergonomics).
The institute is renamed “Institute for Work and Health”. Its new logo and website bring the reorganisation to completion.