Improving Occupational Health in Oregon: Turning Data to Action

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cude CG ; Douglas JP
• Description:
  This final progress report summarizes accomplishments for the fundamental and expanded fatal work-related injury state-based surveillance projects of the Oregon Occupational Public Health Program (OPHP) cooperative agreement (U60 OH008472) between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2015. During the 5-year project period, the Oregon Health Authority and collaborators at Oregon Health & Science University sought to characterize and assess the magnitude of work-related injuries and illnesses in the state through enhanced occupational health surveillance. In addition, the program used findings to raise awareness about occupational health issues and develop intervention recommendations to prevent new injuries, conditions, and deaths. Through fundamental surveillance, staff generated up to 21 primary occupational health indicators throughout the project period. The program obtained and analyzed over two dozen sources of work-related injury and illness data to better characterize and calculate the magnitude of and trends in work-related injuries and illnesses in the state. In addition, staff made efforts to estimate the cost associated with specific work-related injuries, such as amputations and carpel tunnel syndrome. The Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OR-FACE) program continued its core activities in occupational fatality surveillance, investigation, assessment, and outreach. Surveillance scientific discoveries included the identification of increased risk of fatal transportation incidents among workers 65 and older and potential contributing factors. Surveillance was expanded with new online data resources, including impactful interactive fatality maps. Additional capacity and resource building included new undergraduate and graduate student research project internships. In the 5-year grant period, OR-FACE published and disseminated annual reports of trends in occupational fatalities, in-depth fatality investigation reports and hazard alerts, and developed new toolbox talk guides to help supervisors share fatal events and recommendations. During the funding period, OR-FACE greatly expanded conference and event presentations on safety issues; safety materials were featured on several occasions in news stories and trade publications. The overall program regularly convened a state-wide advisory board to guide prioritization of the state's occupational health issues, raise awareness and discuss emerging occupational health issues, and brainstorm and develop prevention strategies. This led to state funding for adult lead poisoning surveillance. Staff worked closely with program partners through the advisory committee, coalitions, and other groups to utilize and leverage expertise and resources to improve worker health and safety. Special multi-stakeholder focus was made on young workers through a partnership with the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]), a non-profit coalition of agencies, educational institutions, employers, insurers and other organizations. OPHP staff developed a wide-range of articles and publications on various occupational health issues for health care providers, employers, workers, researchers, and legislators. Presentations on occupational health subjects, including injuries to young workers, prevention of lead poisoning, persistent and emerging industrial hygiene issues and total worker health were presented at numerous national, state and regional conferences and meetings. OPHP also provided significant assistance to Oregon's emergency preparedness efforts, developing guidance for healthcare and emergency responders for events such as H1N1, Fukushima radiation response, wildfires and Ebola. This assistance improved internal responder safety and health plans. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mortality Occupational Health Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Fatalities Information Dissemination Injuries Injury Prevention Intervention Mortality Data Occupational Health Public Health Surveillance Programs Total Worker Health TWH

  More +
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Final Cooperative Agreement Report
• Place as Subject:
  Oregon ; OSHA Region 10
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-39
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061588
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2022-100353
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U60-OH-008472, 2015 Sep; :1-39
• Contact Point Address:
  Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority, 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 640, Portland, OR 97232
• Email:
  curtis.g.cude@state.or.us
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services ; Wholesale and Retail Trade
• Performing Organization:
  Public Health Services, Portland, Oregon
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5913b7779fc5523400876b7eb6fdbbe7d0cedee0f50145b80088356f5079a86597670d928a6fc0b21634d420cec761a091cfec54d53dddb8edc0cc92cc35f883
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219035/cdc_219035_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 750.34 KB ]