IERA – Institute for Occupational Epidemiology and Risk Assessment

Evonik Industries maintains the Institute for Occupational Epidemiology and Risk Assessment (IERA) in cooperation with the Institute and Polyclinic for Occupational and Social Medicine and Social Hygiene of the Clinic of the University of Cologne. The IERA is operated as a scientifically independent institution at Evonik, and is available to the University of Cologne free of cost.

For its part, the University of Cologne provides assistance for the studies carried out by the IERA under the aspect of independence of research and reaching. Moreover, it places the Institute and Polyclinic for Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Social Hygiene at the disposal of the IERA, at no cost, as a professional partner and interface for the partnership.

The IERA is focused on deriving environmental and workplace limits, as well as classifying substances based on their carcinogenicity. These activities are carried out nationally and internationally in cooperation with scientifically independent bodies of experts.

The epidemiological expertise of the Institute is particularly important in the areas of health protection, occupational safety, environmental protection, occupational medicine, and product safety and stewardship, and assumes a strategically important role in key activities at Evonik.

Activities and Services

Scientific services are rendered to the chemical, energy and coal mining industries. The Institute offers the following services:

• Design and implementation of epidemiological studies 
• Scientific evidence-based risk analysis and consultation (risk assessment)
• Scientific consultation, coordination and monitoring for epidemiological and toxicological studies in cooperation with other research institutes
• Methodical advanced training to ensure the preservation of expertise
• Epidemiological representation on scientific bodies, institutions and symposia, such as the MAK Commission of the German Research Foundation (DFG) 

The Institute also provides representation in expert groups such as employers' associations, employers' liability associations.