Occupational and Environmental Exposures

 OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES

Purpose

The workplace can be a major source of exposure to hazardous chemical, biologic, and physical agents and mental stress that can lead to an increase the risk for adverse health outcomes. The environment, which includes ambient air, drinking water, and food, may be a source of chronic, low level exposure. Typical studies conducted by the EDC include exposure to metals or solvents in the workplace, air pollution, contaminated drinking water, occupational and environmental noise, and occupational stress.

Another focus area of the EDC is injury prevention. Injuries, on- and off-duty, are a leading cause of lost time and medical costs for the military. The EDC focuses on military training and physical fitness injuries and injuries because the training environment offers an opportunity to study specific injury mechanisms. Using a tool to categorize injury severity and injured body part, studies by occupation, activity, or workplace location can be used to determine the success of injury prevention measures.

The EDC has partnered with the Naval Safety Center to conduct studies that integrate mishap and injury data, including physical fitness assessment mortality, the efficiency of mishap data collection, and the risk of injury in helicopter pilots and crew.

Reports

• Non-Combat Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Injury Surveillance Report DON FY2016 (.PDF)

  According to the Naval Safety Center, there were 71 MVA fatalities including 45 motorcycle deaths in Fiscal Year 2016. Prior Department of the Navy (DON) surveillance reports have indicated motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents greatly contribute to inpatient and outpatient medical encounters annually.

• Annual Hospital Discharge Report, Department of the Navy, FY2011-FY2016 (.PDF)

  This analysis describes the hospital discharge trends of active duty (AD) United States Navy (USN) and Marine Corps (USMC) service members during the fiscal years (FY) 2011-2016, with a focus on FY 2016 discharges.

• CUI DOD Adult Quarterly Lead Report, CY 2021 Q1-Q4 (.PDF)

  This report covers adult BLL surveillance of records from the Composite Health Care System (CHCS) database across the Department of Defense (DOD) for 2016, quarter one through four (Q1-Q4). Based on the above referenced guidelines, an adult (age 16 or older) is considered to have a high lead level if the concentration of lead in their blood is ≥5μg/dL.

Annual Medical Injury Reports

The Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) EpiData Center Department (EDC) was tasked in 2006 by Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Safety) to conduct an injury surveillance program using medical data. Since 2007, the EDC has provided an annual injury report for acute injuries treated at military treatment facilities (MTFs).

• USMC Acute Injury Report FY 2020 (.PDF)
• USMC Chronic Injury Report FY 2020 (.PDF)
• USN Acute Injury Report FY 2020 (.PDF)
• USN Chronic Injury Report FY 2020 (.PDF)

• USMC Acute Injury Report FY 2019 (.PDF)
• USMC Chronic Injury Report FY 2019 (.PDF)
• USN Acute Injury Report FY 2019 (.PDF)
• USN Chronic Injury Report FY 2019 (.PDF)

More information

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention – http://www.cdc.gov/injury/
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
• Environmental Exposures - http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport