Logo image
Back
Characterization of the Selective Recording of Workplace Exposure Measurements into OSHA’s IMIS Databank
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Characterization of the Selective Recording of Workplace Exposure Measurements into OSHA’s IMIS Databank

Philippe Sarazin, Igor Burstyn, Laurel Kincl, Melissa C Friesen and Jérôme Lavoué
Annals of work exposures and health, v 62(3)
12 Mar 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxy003
PMID: 29415273
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxy003View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

statistical exposure model OSHA CEHD IMIS occupational exposure databank
Abstract Objectives The Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) is the largest multi-industry source of exposure results available in North America. In 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released the Chemical Exposure Health Data (CEHD) that contains analytical results of samples collected by OSHA inspectors. However, the two databanks only partially overlap, raising suspicion of bias in IMIS data. We investigated the factors associated with selective recording of CEHD results into the IMIS databank. Methods This analysis was based on personal exposure measurements of 24 agents from 1984 to 2009. The association between nine variables (level of exposure coded as detected versus non-detected (ND), whether a sampling result was part of a panel of chemicals, duration of sampling, issuance of a citation, presence of other detected levels during the same inspection, year, OSHA region, amount of penalty, and establishment size) and a CEHD sampling result being reported in IMIS was analyzed using modified Poisson regression. Results A total of 461900 CEHD sampling results were examined. The proportion of CEHD sampling results recorded into IMIS was 38% (51% for detected and 28% for ND measurements). In the models, the detected sampling results were associated with a higher probability of recording into IMIS than ND sampling results, and this difference was similar for panel versus non-panel samples. Probability of recording remained constant from 1984 to 2009 for sampling results measured on panels but increased for sampling results of single determinations of an agent. Some OSHA regions had probability of recording two times higher than others. No other variables that we examined were associated with a CEHD sampling result being reported in IMIS. Conclusions Our results indicate that the under-reporting of sampling results in IMIS is differential: ND results (especially those determined from the panels) seem less likely to be recorded in IMIS than other results. It is important to consider both IMIS and CEHD data in order to reduce bias in evaluation of exposures in workplaces inspected by OSHA.

Metrics

5 Record Views
7 citations in Web of Science
6 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Logo image