Occupational Injury Surveillance Using the Washington State Trauma Registry

Objective: Traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability among US workers, yet state trauma registries are rarely used for occupational research. Many, including the Washington State Trauma Registry, include information about work-relatedness. The objective is to explore and document the Washington State Trauma Registry as a resource for occupational injury surveillance and research. Methods: State-designated trauma facilities report traumatic injuries meeting specific inclusion criteria to the Washington State Trauma Registry. This study included 16 + year-olds injured in Washington during 1998 to 2008. Results: Of 125,625 injuries, 7.3% were work related. We found no evidence of downward trends in traumatic occupational injuries ( 2003 to 2008). Conclusions: Capturing industry and occupation would enhance utility for occupational injury surveillance and research. Trauma registry data could contribute to prevention planning/evaluation, improve case ascertainment for severe occupational injuries, and aid identification of high-risk populations and emerging trends.