Nebraska Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program

Project Summary The purpose of the Nebraska Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program (NOSHP) is to conduct state-based occupational health and safety surveillance within the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has authority for supervision, control, and responsibility over matters relating to public health within the state. Occupational health indicators will be compiled and reported on an annual basis (Aim 1). We will further enhance occupational health surveillance by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting occupational injury and illness burden and trends using existing state-based data sources. NOSHP will conduct surveillance and investigation for adults with elevated blood lead levels (Aim 2). We will share our findings with our partners through reports, factsheets, and presentations to inform best practices, target interventions, and provide recommendations for prevention (Aim 3). In addition to surveillance activities, our program will maintain existing relationships and build new partnerships with local, state, and national stakeholders to integrate occupational health into mainstream public health (Aim 4). We will enhance occupational health surveillance through using health informatics strategies (Expanded Aim 5). NOSHP will collect, analyze, and report on occupational data involving COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. We will explore the use of syndromic surveillance data to supplement occupational safety and health surveillance. Through our work, expect to improve surveillance systems, identify new emerging issues and priorities, and improve the knowledge of the causes and conditions of workplace injury and illness. Ultimately, the project’s aims and activities will help NOSHP reach its overarching goal of reductions in workplace injury, illness, and death.