Multi–source surveillance for work-related crushing injuries

Background

Work-related crushing injuries are serious but preventable. For 2013 through 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) reported 1260 crushing injuries in Michigan. In 2013, Michigan initiated multi-data source surveillance of work-related crushing injuries.

Methods

Records from all 134 of Michigan's hospitals/emergency departments (EDs), the Workers Compensation Agency (WCA) and Michigan's Fatality Assessment Control and Evaluation (MIFACE) program were used to identify work-related crushing injuries. Companies, where individuals were hospitalized or had an ED visit for a crushing injury, potentially had an OSHA enforcement inspection conducted.

Results

From 2013 through 2015, there were 3137 work-related crushing injury incidents, including two fatalities. The Michigan OSHA program completed inspections at 77 worksites identified by the surveillance system.

Conclusion

The Michigan multisource surveillance system identified two and a half times more crushing injuries than BLS and was useful for initiating case-based enforcement inspections.

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