Occupational health surveillance: a means to identify work-related risks

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Am. J. Public Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.76.9.1089· OSTI ID:6818529

Froines, J R; Dellenbaugh, C A; Wegman, D H

The lack of successful disease surveillance methods has resulted in few reliable estimates of workplace-related disease. Hazard surveillance - the ongoing assessment of chemical use and worked exposure to the chemicals - is presented as a way to supplement occupational disease surveillance. Existing OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Health) data systems are adapted to this function to characterize the distribution and type of hazardous industry in Los Angeles County. A new method is developed for ranking potentially hazardous industries in the county using actual exposure measurements from federal OSHA compliance inspections. The strengths of the different systems are presented along with considerations of industrial employment and types of specific chemical exposures. Applications for information from hazard surveillance are discussed in terms of intervention, monitoring exposure control, planning, research, and as a complement to disease surveillance.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Los Angeles
• OSTI ID: 6818529
• Journal Information: Am. J. Public Health; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Public Health; (United States) Vol. 76:9; ISSN AJHEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
AGRICULTURE
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CLASSIFICATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
METAL INDUSTRY
MINERAL INDUSTRY
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
NIOSH
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PLANNING
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY
US DOL
US ORGANIZATIONS
US OSHA
WORKING CONDITIONS