Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program (PennOSHS)

Project Summary/Abstract Pennsylvania is the 5th largest state in the United States and has more than 6.1 million workers in a wide range of industries such as education and health services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and mining and construction. As of 2018, Pennsylvania had 135,400 cases of nonfatal work- related injuries and illnesses, the 4th highest number among the 41 states participating in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). Occupational blood lead poisoning has been a major concern in Pennsylvania and case counts rank among the highest in the nation. A comprehensive, state-wide occupational health surveillance program needed to address the burden of work- related morbidity and mortality is non-existent in Pennsylvania. As part of its mission to promote healthy behaviors and prevent injury and disease among its residents, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) proposes to establish a fundamental Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance (PennOSHS) program. The program seeks to build sustainable public health infrastructure in Pennsylvania to reduce occupational morbidity and mortality and eliminate occupational health disparities that contribute to overall health disparities. PennOSHS aims to (1) collect, compile, and analyze occupational health data to identify areas that require targeted actions by public health practitioners and other stakeholders and (2) disseminate relevant information to these stakeholders to improve health outcomes. Specifically, PennOSHS will develop, analyze and interpret the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)/Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) occupational health indicators (OHI), including the statewide employment profile; improve data collection for occupational lead exposure, analyze and interpret the resulting data; promote the importance of collecting work-related variables, such as industry and occupation (I/O); and identify potentially new sources of data to support total worker health in Pennsylvania. PennOSHS will also develop education and training materials and other outreach efforts based on the analysis of OHIs to prevent/minimize occupationally linked morbidity and mortality especially those related to occupational lead exposure. These efforts will be supported by developing partnerships with a diverse group of occupational safety and health stakeholders (academic, governmental and community entities) and establishment of an advisory committee which will guide and monitor program implementation and progress.