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Georgia Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance Program
More than four million people age 16 years and older make up Georgia’s
workforce. Since almost half of a worker’s lifetime is spent at work or
commuting, the workplace is an important determinant of a person’s health.
Some workers are employed in occupations or industries that may put them at
higher risk of work-related injuries or illnesses or being exposed to
harmful substances. Many of these work-related injuries and illnesses are
preventable. The Georgia Department of Public Health Occupational Health
Surveillance Program monitors occupational injuries, illnesses, and
fatalities in the state, identifies groups at increased risk, and provides
data to target prevention efforts. This surveillance system is based on the
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indicators for occupational health that have been recommended by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). These indicators serve as baseline measures of the
occupational health status of a state’s workforce and will allow states to
track trends and guide prevention and intervention efforts.
Mission
To promote the health and safety of Georgia workers by:
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Collecting information about work-related injuries, illnesses, and
hazards in Georgia
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Raising public awareness of workplace risks, targeting intervention
activities, and guiding the development of prevention programs and
policies
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Educating workers and employers to address identified occupational
health and safety problems
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Integrating occupational health into ongoing public health practice
at the state and local levels
Goals
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Collect, analyze, and report data
on occupational illnesses, injuries, and related factors in Georgia based on
the recommended NIOSH-CSTE Occupational Health Indicators
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Establish and maintain an
Advisory Committee, representing partner organizations and stakeholders, to
assess the surveillance system and the data it provides, and to make
recommendations that will enhance its impact and use
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Participate fully in NIOSH’s
Consortium of Occupational State-based Surveillance (COSS), including
regular meeting attendance and timely reporting of Georgia data to
multi-state summaries and reports
Data Summaries and Reports
Georgia Occupational Health Surveillance Report, 2006-2009
Related Sites and Documents
List of Occupational Health Indicators
Guidelines for Minimal and Comprehensive State
Based Public Health Activities in Occupational Safety and Health
Council of State and
Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Occupational Health Program Area
http://www.cste.org/group/OHOverview
State Occupational
Health Websites
http://www.cste.org/group/OHWebsites
National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Live Healthy
Georgia-Healthy Worksites
http://www.livehealthygeorgia.org/worksites.shtml
Georgia Tech
Occupational Safety and Health Program
http://www.oshainfo.gatech.edu/index.html
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