This article examines the work of Austrian occupational physician Ludwig Teleky (1872–1957). Teleky was a pioneer in the struggle against intoxication at the workplace and an expert on the use of chemicals in industrial processes. In addition to outlining his academic work, the article includes reflections on Teleky’s collaboration with trade unions and Social Democratic activists. It also analyses the forms of research employed by Teleky, which were characterised by intense collaboration with interviewees and rank-and-file-workers. Teleky’s work remains inspiring to anyone interested in a political and emancipatory understanding of occupational medicine today.