When it comes to research, countless platforms are available. However, not every resource is for the same purpose, and some databases are designed for specific tasks. Today, I wanted to take a closer look at a resource that people might know less about: Haz-Map.
Haz-Map focuses on occupational health, where professionals and consumers can look up potential impacts of workplace exposures. Using multiple types of scientific publications, such as textbooks, journal articles, and other databases, Haz-Map makes it easier to develop a differential for various types of exposures. One can search Haz-Map using their general search function, or by searching by agent, disease, job, and a variety of other categories.
However, Haz-Map doesn’t just include workplace hazards: it also includes chemical hazards and occupational diseases for a wide variety of hobbies, environments, and even some activities. Drinking water from a private well? Arsenic, lead, nitrates, and nitrites may pose a problem. Have a patient dealing with a skin rash who has recently gotten into taxidermy? Best to consider one of the many chemicals involved in taxidermy as a suspect.
When you look at a disease or agent in Haz-Map, it will provide an entry that includes a link to a pre-built PubMed search on the subject and occupational disease, symptoms, jobs it is related to, and other important information. Let’s take a look at the entry for plague:
Here we can see the name of the condition, some basic information regarding it, and the PubMed search link. If we scroll past the comments, we get even more information, including a reference image and the link to OSHA’s entry on the plague.
At the bottom of the page, we have the linked articles to this entry, which are symptoms, job tasks, and agents linked to the plague. This can help us browse more resources related to our reference needs without needing to run a new search.
So next time you’re looking for information related to exposures or occupational hazards, give Haz-Map a try!
