New York State (NYS) Department of Health is requesting funds to support occupational health surveillance and intervention in NYS. NYS is the third most populous state, with over 8.9 million full-time employees in 2012. Recognizing that many occupational hazards and adverse health outcomes overiap other public health program, the Bureau of Occupational Health and Injury Prevention (BOHIP) will work on incorporating occupational health into other public health initiatives. We will continue and enhance our surveillance efforts, and translate past successes into the development and implementation of occupational prevention, intervention and outreach activities. As part of the funding for this application, data collected .by BOHIP will be incorporated into other public health tracking systems including the Occupational Health Indicators project, the NYS Prevention Agenda, the NYS Community Data Clearinghouse and the NYS Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. These data will be further evaluated to identify high-risk industries and occupations, and other populations at high-risk. BOHIP will continue to collect, review, follow up and monitor adult blood lead data reported to the Heavy Metals Registry. Collaboration with the NYS Childhood Lead Program will continue to ensure prompt identification of lead poisoned pregnant women and follow-up of their newborn babies. BOHIP proposes to continue and strengthen its effort in preventing serious and fatal occupational injuries through conducting the New York State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program. BOHIP maintains an Occupational Lung Disease Registry and will use this registry to continue and expand surveillance for occupational lung diseases in NYS by continuing and improving case ascertainment and through the development of education, prevention, and intervention activities. BOHIP will also use funds from this Program Announcement to increase awareness of workers and the public on the health implications of climate change.
Over 215,000 occupational injuries and illnesses, and approximately 215 traumatic work-related deaths among New Yorkers are reported to the US Department of Labor, annually. Workers spend a quarter of their lifetime and up to half of their waking hours at work. A safe workplace free of identifiable hazards is a must for a healthy community and thriving economy.
| Gelberg, Kitty H; Brissette, Ian F; Cummings, Karen (2011) Evaluation of a communications campaign to increase physician reporting to a surveillance system. Public Health Rep 126:19-27 |
| Tice, Cori J; Cummings, Karen R; Gelberg, Kitty H (2010) Surveillance of work-related asthma in new york state. J Asthma 47:310-6 |
