Safety in the operating room (OR) has always been a major public health concern. Safety in the OR means the safety of both the patient and the working personnel (surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and workers). Patient safety initiatives aimed at creating a safer OR culture is increasingly being adopted. The world health organization (WHO) has launched the "Safe surgery saves lives" initiative by the world alliance for patient safety as a part of WHO efforts to reduce the number of surgical deaths across the world. Within the scope of the public health practice, occupational safety in health profession is devoted to the recognition, evaluation and control of hazards in the working environment. Hazards include physical, chemical and biological hazards. Surveillance of both exposure and disease provides clues and hypothesis for further evaluation.