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Using surveillance data to promote occupational health and safety policies and practice at the state level: A case study
Author(s) -
Calvert Geoffrey M.,
Higgins Sheila A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20707
Subject(s) - legislation , medicine , environmental health , occupational safety and health , government (linguistics) , harm , documentation , public health , agriculture , business , nursing , political science , geography , law , linguistics , philosophy , pathology , computer science , programming language , archaeology
Background Following the investigation of a birth defects cluster involving migrant farmworkers employed in North Carolina and Florida, it became clear that greater efforts were needed to protect agricultural workers from pesticide exposure. Methods Documentation is drawn from peer‐reviewed published articles, government reports and news accounts. Results The birth defects cluster was identified and investigated by state and federal pesticide poisoning surveillance system staff. Following the investigation, efforts were initiated to highlight pesticides as an important public health issue needing more attention. A series of subsequent events led to the creation and passage of important legislation recently enacted in North Carolina. The legislation resulted in funding to promote various activities to prevent harm from pesticides including strengthening surveillance, improving the quality of pesticide compliance inspections, and increasing and improving pesticide safety training. The legislation also broadened the coverage of anti‐retaliation rules to include agricultural workers, and increased recordkeeping requirements pertaining to pesticide applications. Conclusion The important and positive impacts that can occur through surveillance activities are highlighted. As such, it is important to continue to support and improve occupational illness and injury surveillance programs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:188–193 2010. Published 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.