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Occupational Health Indicators

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The 25 Occupational Heath Indicators

A smiling person wearing scrubs stands with arms crossed next to filing cabinets.In Oregon and across the county, public health staff collect data on occupational health indicators. These indicators tell us about worker health and safety in our state and beyond. By looking at trends in data, we can learn about changes in worker health and safety over time.

Navigating the Indicators

Click on the indicators below to learn more about what they are, why they are important, and where the data comes from. 


  • What: Workers who end up with injuries and sicknesses caused by their work. This indicator specifically covers injuries or illnesses that employers (bosses, managers, etc.) report. 
  • Why: When work‑related injuries and illnesses are tracked, it helps identify the problems (disabling conditions, body parts affected, source of injury) and where it’s happening. Available data helps us understand what causes these injuries so we can fix the problems, improve safety rules, and create better ways to protect workers. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) ​

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  • What: Workers who end up in the hospital because of something that happened at work. 
  • Why: When a worker is hospitalized, it may reflect multiple layers of safety (like training, equipment, procedures, and supervision) that may have failed. This indicator can show potential breakdowns so they can be fixed. Data may uncover trends (heat illness, chemical exposures, or use of new technology/tools) leading to hospitalizations. Data can also highlight inequities and reveal which workers face disproportionate risk to injury and hospitalization.​


  • What: When a worker dies because of something that happened at work. Our work-related deaths page has more information about this indicator. 
  • Why: Looking at fatal work-related injuries helps identify failures in workplace environments that lead to serious hazards resulting in death. This includes falls, violence, machinery accidents, and exposure to hazardous chemicals. This information can help reduce future deaths in the workplace. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, NIOSH Employed Labor Force query system ​

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  • What: Workers who lose a body part, like a finger or arm, because of something that happened at work. This indicator specifically covers amputations that employers (bosses, managers, etc.) report. 
  • Why: This data matters because it helps us understand injuries that involve the loss of a body part. This can include fingers or hands, toes, feet, or other limbs due to the use of machines, tools, vehicles, or other workplace hazards. It can reveal whether temporary and new employees may face higher risk of injury, especially, those working in manufacturing, food processing, warehousing, and construction. Monitoring can also help in identifying any unknown hazards and patterns or circumstances that have led to amputations. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) ​


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  • What: Workers who lose a body part, like a finger or arm, because of something that happened at work. This indicator specifically covers amputations that are reported in workers’ compensation claims. 
  • Why: See indicator 4. 
  • Source: Workers’ compensation data, National Academy of Social Insurance estimate of workers covered by workers’ compensation ​


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  • What: Workers who need to be in the hospital because of a burn from something that happened at work. 
  • Why: Burns in the workplace can be painful, disabling, and expensive to treat. This indicator reflects burn severity, with the goal of identifying workers and industries at higher risk to guide prevention efforts that reduce the frequency and severity of burn hospitalizations. 
  • Source: Inpatient hospital discharge data, BLS Geographic Profiles of Employment and Unemployment ​


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  • What: Workers who have problems related to their muscles or bones that were caused by something at work. This indicator specifically covers musculoskeletal disorders reported by employers (bosses, managers, etc.). 
  • Why: Monitoring musculoskeletal disorders helps to identify high-risk industries and tasks. It can also guide better ergonomic interventions and determine whether these injuries turn into long-term disabilities. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) ​​


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  • What: Workers who develop carpal tunnel syndrome (nerve problems in one or both wrists) because of their work. This indicator specifically covers cases found in workers’ compensation claims. 
  • Why: The majority of information about carpal tunnel syndrome comes from Workers' Compensation data. This data helps identify high risk industries, ergonomic hazards, and intervention methods aimed at improving problems. Data on carpal tunnel syndrome can be used to identify better tools to prevent long-term disability and loss of productivity. 
  • Source: Workers’ compensation system, National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) estimate of workers covered by workers' compensation​​


  • What: Workers who are hospitalized with pneumoconiosis (chronic lung problems caused by breathing things like coal dust, asbestos fibers, silica, or other occupational dusts) because of their work. 
  • Why: Tracking of pneumoconiosis is important for measuring progress towards elimination of the disease, as well as for targeting prevention and disease management programs. 
  • Source: State Inpatient Hospital Discharge data, U.S. Census data, Year 2000 U.S. Standard population 
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  • ​What: Workers who die from pneumoconiosis (caused by breathing things like coal dust, asbestos fibers, silica, or other occupational dusts).
  • Why: See indicator 9.
  • Source: Death certificate records from vital statistics agency, State population estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census American Community Survey, Year 2000 U.S. Standard Population 



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  • What: Workers who come into contact with a pesticide at work that immediately harms their health. This indicator specifically covers cases that are reported to poison control centers. Our work-related pesticides page has more information. 
  • Why: Acute work-related pesticide poisoning surveillance helps identify dangers, unsafe practices, and new pesticide risks. Data also highlights which workers are at most risk and helps inform public health planning. 
  • Source: Acute work‑related pesticide poisonings that are reported to the Pesticide Exposure Safety & Tracking (PEST) Program come from the Poison Control Center. Reporting also comes from systems used by state and national public health agencies. These systems track real‑time pesticide acute illness and injury and provide the data needed to calculate rates. ​​


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  • What: Workers who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma – a rare cancer caused by asbestos. 
  • Why: This data helps calculate the direct impacts of asbestos-related disease in workplace settings. It also helps uncover any trends that reflect the long-term impact of workplace exposures. Although asbestos has become less common in the workplace, it is important to remember that exposure risk remains high for millions of construction and renovation workers. Data can help identify workers from other industries at higher risk, improve workplace safety training and education, and build increased awareness in high-risk fields.
  • Source: State-wide Cancer Registry data, State population estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census American Community Survey, Year 2000 US Standard population (for age-standardization)​​


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  • What: Workers who have high amounts of lead in their bodies because of their work. Our work-related lead page has more information about this indicator. 
  • Why: Collecting data on elevated adult blood lead levels helps identify high-risk industries and workplaces along with unsafe practices. It can also guide worker safety education and show any long-term trends in exposure. 
  • Source: Reports of elevated BLLs from laboratories (numerator), Population estimates from BLS Current Population Survey – Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment (denominator)

  • What: Workers who are part of an industry that has a higher risk of them becoming injured or sick because of their field of work. Examples include commercial fishing, logging, mining, and construction. 
  • Why: Understanding how many workers are in high‑risk industries helps public health agencies plan for inspections, training, and safety interventions where they will have the greatest impact. It also supports long‑term planning for injury prevention programs. 
  • Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) ​


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  • What: Workers who have a dangerous job that increases their risk of becoming injured or sick. This can include working in extreme heat or cold, using dangerous machinery, or working somewhere very high up. 
  • Why: We understand that some workers, like construction workers, roofers, firefighters, farmworkers, maintenance repair workers, and workers in other trades are exposed to different hazards. This indicator helps further identify where workers face the greatest day-to-day risks that may result in higher occupational morbidity. 
  • Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) ​


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  • What: Workers who are part of an industry with a higher risk of death and have a particularly dangerous job in that industry. 
  • Why: Monitoring industries with a high risk for occupational mortality helps identify hazards that can lead to fatal injuries, even when training is provided. It is important to understand what caused a worker’s death: whether it is a fatal fall at the job, accidents from operating heavy machinery, a vehicle crash, structural failure, or environmental factors. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey


  • What: These are workers whose job is to protect the health and safety of other workers. 
  • Why: This data matters because occupational safety and health professionals represent the frontline of prevention. They influence the effectiveness of state and employer safety programs, help states respond to emerging risks and hazards, and explain injury and illness rates. For instance, a state with only a few occupational safety and health professionals may also represent a state with higher injury rates. Monitoring this indicator can help understand emerging patterns that may signal the need for additional training and/or recruitment. 
  • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, Membership rosters of various organizations

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  • What: These are activities done by OSHA to ensure workers are protected and that safety regulations are followed in workplaces. 
  • Why: Research has shown that OSHA inspections can help reduce workplace injury in the years that follow. Patterns in inspections and violations can also reveal where serious hazards are happening — falls, noise and machinery dangers, chemical exposures, structural defects, and construction dangers. This helps identify which prevention resources are needed. 
  • Source: OSHA annual reports of total inspections conducted, and the number of workers covered by the inspections. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data on Covered Employers and Wages for the number of workers employed and establishments in the public and private sectors.​


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  • What: Workers who receive money through workers’ compensation due to a work-related injury or illness. 
  • Why: Workers’ compensation awards tell us the economic cost of illness and injury on the job. This data provides insight into the severity of a worker's injury/illness. It also helps track the economic impact. For example, the total and average benefits can show the expenses employers and insurers must take on after a workplace incident. The awards given may also demonstrate the systemic problems that exist in different industries, occupations, or demographic groups when it comes down to workplace safety and claims. 
  • Source: National Academy of Social Insurance

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  • What: Workers who need to be in the hospital because lower back problems caused by their work. 
  • Why: Looking at work‑related low back disorder hospitalizations gives us data on a worker’s lower‑back injury or condition— both the cause of injury and whether that injury has worsened in their job. Collecting this data can help develop more efficient ergonomic and injury prevention efforts that lessen low-back disorder hospitalizations. This can potentially lower costs for employers and reduce the recovery time needed for workers. 
  • Source: State hospital discharge data, National Academy of Social Insurance, BLS Current Population Survey Data

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  •  What: Workers who are diagnosed with asthma or have their asthma become worse because of their work. Our work-related asthma page has more information about this indicator. 
  • Why: Substances like dust, chemicals, cleaning products, fumes, mold, and other irritants can worsen asthma or lead to new chronic conditions. Work-related asthma can be underdiagnosed because symptoms can look like ordinary asthma symptoms. Tracking these cases helps identify hazardous substances or methods of operation that may need more efficient controls, ventilation, and/or training to lessen their effect on workers. 
  • Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Adult Asthma Call-Back Survey

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  • What: Workers who need to be in the hospital because of a severe trauma injury – for example, a brain injury from something falling on their head.
  • Why: Severe traumatic injury can lead to long-term pain and disability. Collecting this data can give us a picture of the safety of workplaces, and whether more preventative actions are needed. 
  • Source: Inpatient hospital discharge data, BLS Current Population Survey.

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  • What: This indicator relates to healthcare workers who have received a flu shot. 
  • Why: Cases of illness related to the flu pose a challenge in occupational public health. These cases contribute to widespread illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in different professions, especially in healthcare settings. Collecting data on influenza vaccinations can show us whether transmission is higher when vaccinations are low, the number of absences from sick workers, morbidity and mortality rates, and whether outbreaks are happening. 
  • Source: State-specific aggregate National Healthcare Safety Network data published by CDC

  • What: Workers who need to go to the emergency room because of being exposed to extreme heat at work. 
  • Why: We know that extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, cardiovascular strain, and other injuries. When emergency department (ED) visits go up, it signals that the protections needed are not being implemented or are not enough. Monitoring ED visits can identify the industries and occupations most affected. ED visits can also shift focus on developing better heat safety protections and emergency response plans for workers and employers. 
  • Source: Emergency department visits data, BLS Geographic Profiles of Employment and Unemployment

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  • What: Workers who need to be hospitalized because of an eye injury that happened at work. 
  • Why: Chemical burns, blunt trauma, penetrating injuries, environmental exposures, etc., can lead to eye injuries and even vision loss. Jobs in manufacturing, construction, welding, chemical or pesticide applications, emergency response, etc., have higher rates of injury to the eye. Monitoring hospitalizations can help understand where risks may be highest and what prevention efforts can be put into place to protect a worker's sight. 
  • Source: Inpatient hospital discharge data, BLS Geographic Profiles of Employment and Unemployment​


For more information about the indicators and how to use them, see Occupational Health Indicators: A Guide for Obtaining and Tracking Occupational Health Conditions and Their Determinants.