New Jersey Occupational Health Surveillance

Project Summary/Abstract The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), Occupational Health Surveillance (OHS) Unit proposes to conduct population-based surveillance of established occupational health indicators (OHIs) in order to estimate and characterize the burden of specific work-related injuries and illnesses and compare rates to national estimates and evaluate trends over time. We propose to enhance and evaluate our surveillance system to expand data collection, prevention, and intervention activities in NJ. OHS will continue to conduct surveillance of adult blood lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. NJ has regulatory authority to collect occupational health surveillance data for all occupational diseases and injuries. The specific Aims of the project are as follows: 1. Maintain and analyze data collected for 23 specified occupational health indicators (OHI) and conduct an education and outreach effort focused on reducing exposure to asbestos. 2. Analyze specified OHIs to characterize occupational health injuries and illnesses among vulnerable populations to formulate strategies for interventions. This includes a specific project focused on youth injuries and a general focus on vulnerable worker populations, such essential critical infrastructure workers. 3. Maintain data collection of adult blood lead and other heavy metals. Conduct surveillance of exposed individuals to identify at-risk workplaces for further targeted interventions, such as education and outreach and referral to regulatory authorities. The NJDOH OHS Unit proposes two Fundamental Plus projects to enhance our occupational health surveillance by utilizing and evaluating new data sources and translating real-time data to public health action. OHS will also develop a framework for occupational health surveillance of emergent infectious diseases by including workplace variables in non-traditional datasets, which aims to improve surveillance and mitigate workplace transmission of COVID-19 in the current pandemic. OHS Unit Staff will conduct trainings for the collection of industry and occupation information in these nontraditional surveillance systems, including communicable diseases, contact tracing, and poison control inquiries. The specific Aims of the Fundamental Plus projects are the following: 1. Promote inclusion and analysis of occupation and industry variables in nontraditional data sources, through existing and new partnerships to enhance surveillance of emergent diseases and hazards. 2. Enhance the EpiCenter syndromic surveillance system as a real-time surveillance system for work-related nonfatal injuries and poisonings. Establishing and evaluating key findings from these new data sources will position the NJ state-based surveillance project to strengthen our capacity to conduct surveillance and build partnerships to protect worker health and safety. This project will cultivate existing relationships with Rutgers University, our regional NIOSH Education and Research Center, the NJ Poison Control Center, and other key partners within NJDOH, including the Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health program and the Communicable Disease Service. Continued collaboration with current partners, as well as potential new partners and stakeholders, will improve our future response efforts to work-related injuries and poisonings in the State.