Purpose It is widely accepted that there is definite need for strengthening research in developing, validating and refining epidemiological methods for application in Occupational Health, if preventive strategies have to be devised on actual evidence. There is need to further identify and manage the challenges and also diffuse the opportunities available for collaboration in conducting research in Epidemiological Methods for Occupational Health.

Review and discussion Developing improved methods for exposure assessment, statistical analysis, studying migrant workers and other vulnerable populations, the use of biomarkers, and new hazards provide challenges and opportunities.

Issues of challenges due to lack of validated statistical tools, complexity of ethical considerations, lack of training in occupational epidemiological methods, non-clarity in methods for accurate determination of proportion of disease/diseases attributable to occupation, shifting of hazardous industries from developed to developing countries, lack of collaboration mechanisms with veterinary epidemiologists, lack of participatory research, effective and appropriate communicating tools, preventability paradox and maintaining public health perspective to ensure proper population perspective, shall be discussed.

Conclusion and outcome Opportunities for developing, nurturing, financing and implementing local, regional and global collaboration through fair, transparent, democratic and participative consortiums/forums/alliances of people, civil society and public and private institutions and Governments, in the field of epidemiological methods research shall be explored and discussed. A case for germinating an Institute of Occupational Health Metrics and Evaluation in a developing country environment shall be built upon.