Occupational Health

Occupational health surveillance is the tracking of injuries, illnesses, hazards, and exposures that may be occupationally related. Any work place can have hazards that put workers at risk for occupational health injuries and illnesses. Work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths are largely preventable. The Louisiana Department of Health Occupational Health and Injury Surveillance Program tracks work-related injuries and illnesses in attempts to better understand the underlying issues leading to these conditions in order to implement efforts to reduce these numbers and improve the health and safety of Louisiana work places.

Tracking Occupational Health in Louisiana

The occupational health indicators on the Health Data Explorer are a set of surveillance measures used to monitor the health of the Louisiana workforce. Each measure highlights a risk factor or category of injury and illness, usually expressed as the number of occurrences among the relevant population. These measures help to track occurrences over time, comparison between individual states and the nation, and to highlight areas that may need additional exploration. The occupational health measures were created through a joint effort between the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). For a more detailed description of these measures, please see the Glossary of Terms.

Lead Poisonings

Number of cases, incident rates, and prevalence rates of cases with elevated blood lead levels of greater than or equal to 10 mcg/dL, 25 mcg/dL, and 40 mcg/dL


Pesticide Poisonings

Number and Incident rates of reported work-related pesticide poisoning cases

Asbestosis Deaths

Number of asbestosis deaths

Age Adjusted asbestosis death rate

Asbestosis death rate

High Risk Industries and Jobs

Number and Percent of employed persons in high mortality risk occupations and industries

Pneumoconiosis Deaths

Number, Crude Rate, and Age Adjusted Rate of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis deaths

Number of other and unspecified pneumoconiosis deaths

Number and Crude Death Rate of total pneumoconiosis deaths

Annual Age Adjusted total pneumoconiosis death rate

Health and Safety Professionals

Rate of board-certified safety health professionals

Rate of board-certified industrial hygienists

Rate of board-certified occupational health registered nurses

Rate of board-certified occupational physicians


Amputations

Number and Incident Rates of Amputations involving days away from work.

Asbestosis Injuries/Illnesses

Number, Rate, and Age Adjusted Rate of Asbestosis hospital discharges

Burn Hospitalizations

Number and Rate of work-related burn hospitalizations

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cases

Number and Incident Rates of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cases

Number and Incident Rates of Carpal Tunnel cases filed with workers compensation

Days Away from Work

Number and Incident Rates for cases with days away from work

Number of Cases with greater than 10 days away from work

Fatal Work-Related Injuries

Number and Crude Rate of Work-Related Fatalities

High Risk Injuries

Number and Percent of employed persons in high morbidity risk North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Industries

High Risk Occupations

Average Number and Percent of workers in high morbidity risk 1990 Bureau of Census occupations

Malignant Mesothelioma

Number, Incident Rates, and Age Adjusted Rate Incident Rates of incident mesothelioma cases

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD)

Number and Incidence Rates of MSDs of neck, shoulders, and upper extremities

Number and Incidence Rates of MSDs of the back

Number and Incident Rates of MSDs

 Non-Fatal Injuries/Illnesses

Number and Incidence Rates of Work-related Injuries/Illnesses

Pneumoconiosis Injuries/Illnesses

Number, Age Adjusted Rate, and Crude Rate of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis hospital discharge

Number, Age Adjusted Rate, and Crude Rate of other and unspecified pneumoconiosis hospital discharges

Number, Age Adjusted Rate, and Crude Rate of total pneumoconiosis hospital discharges

Silicosis Injuries/Illnesses

Number, Rate, and Age Adjusted Rate of Silicosis hospital discharges

Work-Related Hospitalizations

Number and Crude Rate of work-related hospitalizations

Work-related low back disorder hospitalizations

Number of work-related low back disorder hospitalizations for persons age greater than or equal to 16 years

Number of work-related surgical low back disorder hospitalizations for persons age greater than or equal to 16 years

Rate of work-related low back disorder hospitalizations

Rate of work-related surgical low back disorder hospitalization

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Inspections

Number of employees under OSHA jurisdiction whose work areas were inspected

Number of employees whose work areas were inspected by OSHA

Number of establishments inspected by Federal/State OSHA

Number of establishments under OSHA jurisdiction

Percent of all establishments under OSHA jurisdiction inspected by OSHA

Percent of OSHA-covered employees eligible for inspection whose work areas were inspected

Workers Compensation Benefits

Average amount of workers’ compensation benefits paid per covered worker ($)

Total amount of workers’ compensation benefits paid ($)

Data Sources

Additional Info

Contact

For more info, contact the Louisiana Environmental Public Health Tracking Program at tracking@la.gov or call 1-888-293-7020.

Surgeon General Ralph L. Abraham, M.D.

Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein

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