265886 Tracking occupational heat-related illness in California

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 12:30 PM - 12:48 PM

Robert Harrison, MD , Occupational Health Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA
     
The risk of occupational heat-related illness is well recognized, with high risk of morbidity and mortality during heat waves. In the past several years, California has experience several heat waves with deaths among agricultural workers leading to the enactment of the first OSHA regulation in the US. Tracking heat-related illness among high-risk workers (including agricultural and construction) is a critical element in understanding risk factors and reducing risks through enforcement and public health campaigns. The use of electronic workers compensation data is one means to easily track cases, although several barriers remain to complete ascertainment of heat-related illness. The alert health care provider and a strong public health system play key roles in efforts to prevent occupational heat-related illness.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Describe the methods for tracking occupational heat-related illness Define the problems in ascertaining the magnitude of occupational heat-related illness

Keywords: Occupational Surveillance, Occupational Disease

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Chief, Occupational Health Surveillance and Evaluation Program at the California Department of Public Health. I am responsible for tracking of occupational illnesses and injuries.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5200.0: Protecting Workers from Outdoor Heat: the California Experience