The State of Tennessee collects significant data related to occupational injuries, illnesses, hazards, and exposures in order to monitor trends. Concurrently, health data is collected, interpreted and analyzed on an ongoing basis. This program aims to progress the current data collection to a public health surveillance program with a strong occupational health and safety (OH) focus. Led by an Assistant Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, the proposed program would utilize a full time employee with skills in linking complex data sets (Statistical Programmer Specialist 2) working with an Epidemiologist experienced in injury surveillance to build the capacity for Tennessee to compile, analyze, and interpret surveillance data for a minimum of 15 of the 20 occupational health indicators (OHIs) using existing data sources (www.cste.org). Working with existing and highly experienced public health statistics researchers, the project will collaboratively develop a holistic occupational safety and health surveillance program including: data acquisition-analysis and dissemination of findings from indicators; outreach and partnership development in order to inform/enable prevention and intervention efforts; and, propose priority research projects and/or focus areas.
Key Aims : ? Assess and measure occupational health improvement in order to protect health and promote change. ? Initiate and foster collaboration with public and private partners through outreach, informatio sharing, and documenting outcomes. ? Develop methods to convert data to action in order to achieve positive outcomes.
In order to make workplaces safer, we must first know the facts about injuries, illnesses, hazards, and exposures in order to monitor trends. Work-related injuries and illnesses can be prevented, and successful approaches to making workplaces safer and healthier begin with having the data necessary to understand the problem.
