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BACKGROUND: Comprehensive data is a key component of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. Ensuring all workers have a safe and healthy work environment is the primary mission of The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) uses data collected by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) as the principal data source for research and surveillance of outcomes associated with exposure to hazardous conditions in mining,. Acting on recommendation of the National Resource Council (NRC), OMSHR is exploring workers compensation (WC) data as a source to supplement the information contained in the MSHA data. The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) have standardized the collection of workers compensation (WC) data and improved the quality of data collected by initiating the use of electronic data interchange (EDI) for filing claims. In partnership, IAIABC and NIOSH OMSHR undertook a pilot study to determine the feasibility of creating of a multi – state WC database and verify the usefulness added to MSHA data.
METHODS: This pilot study collected First Report of Injury (FROI) claim data for cases in the mining industry that reported hearing loss as the nature of injury from 2007 through2011. To encourage states to participate, the workload was reduced by limiting the nature of injury to a single health outcome. Hearing loss was selected because NIOSH has identified hearing loss prevention as a research priority. IAIABC requested FROI data from member states; OMSHR compiled the data, performed analysis, and provided results. The case frequencies were created and compared between MSHA and WC.
RESULTS: Twelve states responded to the data request from IAIABC. Of those six states identified claims that matched the requested parameters, three states found no matching claims, two states had claims but did not collect the requested data fields, and one state did not have the data available electronically to query, or the manpower to perform the task manually. A total of 350 case records submitted by the six states matched the criteria of the pilot study. When compared to the MSHA data, WC had more hearing loss claims, more data elements, and multiple descriptive narratives.
CONCLUSIONS: The pilot study indicates the WC claim data can be collected and provides a source to enhance surveillance of mine safety and health. The additional data offer researchers a more robust account of occupational safety and health incidents.