Poisoned at Work: An Evaluation of New Hampshire Poison Center Data for Occupational Poisoning Exposures from 2005 to 2011

Details

• Personal Author:
  Armenti KR
• Description:
  Over 85,000 chemicals are on the US market today, with approximately 2,000 new substances introduced yearly.1,2 These chemicals, along with a multitude of other potentially toxic products, are widely produced and used across many industries, putting workers from all sectors at risk for exposure to toxic substances. Poisoning occurs when unintended exposure to extrinsic substances via oral, respiratory, ocular, or dermal routes leads to at least one adverse clinical effect. Poison centers provide a critical resource for monitoring the occurrence of occupational exposures and poisonings at both state and national levels. In 2010, 37,707 workplace exposures were reported to poison centers across the US, accounting for 1.6% of all poison center exposure calls. In comparison, approximately 1.4% of all New Hampshire exposure calls during 2010 were occupational. These statistics are likely underestimations of the actual burden of work-related exposures and poisonings. It is estimated that the true incidence of total occupational morbidity in the US may be as much as three to five times higher than what is captured by current surveillance sources. Workers with acute exposures that are not life threatening may not seek consultation due to concern about healthcare cost, lack of access to care, lack of awareness about workers' compensation benefits, or fear of negative consequences resulting from employers' knowledge of workplace injury. Long latency periods from the time of exposure to a harmful substance to onset of clinical symptoms may result in misclassifying the source of exposure. Furthermore, poisoning symptoms may be misdiagnosed as symptoms of other common illness and injury. The extent of work-related poisonings across New Hampshire and the nation remains largely undocumented, but the associated morbidity and mortality, healthcare costs, and losses due to decreased productivity are significant. The objective of this study was to use poison center data to describe the distribution and trends of occupational poisoning exposures among New Hampshire's employed population from 2005 to 2011. Findings will be used to assist in developing targeted prevention strategies designed to reduce work-related exposures to harmful substances and inform occupational health surveillance and prevention efforts. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Environmental Exposure Hazardous Substances Morbidity Mortality Occupational Health Poisoning Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Chemical Composition Chemical Hazards Exposure Levels Health Care Health Effects Monitoring Systems Morbidity Rates Mortality Rates Poisons Risk Factors Surveillance Surveillance Programs Toxic Effects Toxins Work Environment Workers

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• Publisher:
  New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  New Hampshire ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049757
• Citation:
  Concord, NH: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, Bureau of Public Health Statistics and Informatics, Occupational Health Surveillance Program, 2013 Jul; :1-9
• Contact Point Address:
  Karla R. Armenti, ScD, Occupational Health Surveillance Program, Bureau of Public Health Statistics & Informatics, Division of Public Health Services, 29 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301
• Email:
  karmenti@dhhs.state.nh.us
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• Performing Organization:
  New Hampshire State Department of Health Statistics and Data Management
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20100701
• Source Full Name:
  An evaluation of New Hampshire poison center data for occupational poisoning exposures from 2005 to 2011
• End Date:
  20150630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:66cf0a2497470f1b68a2c3f913e0e553ced4519a79850336b96f6d36f3896d30c18e08e4d885239ecb6d39d702544bb3845ed4f77c35ef57170a6bed30b20afd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210395/cdc_210395_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 550.92 KB ]