Adherence to established OSH data recording and notification protocols

A prerequisite for optimised collection

LET ME commend the Jamaica Occupational Health and Safety Professionals Association (JOHSPA) for its sustained efforts at focusing national attention on occupational safety and health (OSH) issues especially on this very special day. The primary objectives of these celebrations are the recognition and remembrance of those workers who have been injured, diseased or died because of workplace hazards, but more importantly, the protection of the current workforce. This year’s theme, ‘Optimise the

Collection and Use of OSH Data’, is particularly timely and instructive for Jamaica as there is a serious problem of under- and nonreporting.

Jamaica reports an average of seven fatal work-related accidents per year while the estimate for Jamaica is 181 per year. Most Jamaican workers are not covered by any OSH legislation, which limits collection, while there is limited national coordination of collection efforts. The recently tabled OSH bill holds good promise for optimised collection as it covers all workers in all economic activities, but it is imperative that we collect it correctly.

Justification for the collection of OSH data

The ILO identifies four key aims for the collection of national OSH data, namely:

Providing comprehensive and reliable data on the incidence of occupational accidents and diseases;

Publishing comparative national statistics and reports, and contribute to international figures;

Informing on preventive OSH measures;

Ensuring appropriate and effective workers’ compensation schemes.

These aims are equally important to the enterprise as these data should be used to prevent the occurrence of occupational injuries and diseases and their associated costs. The recording and notification should not be done to satisfy the requirements of regulatory agencies or insurance carriers, but moreso as a means of taking corrective actions. This culture can aid significantly in the prevention of accidents with substantial savings for the establishment. Also, at both levels, the more reliable the OSH data the more relevant should be the associated intervention measures.

Typical international reporting and notification requirements

It is best practice to collect data according to international standards and conventions. This affords comparability within and between sectors of economic activity within a country, between countries at a regional or international level, and contribute to international OSH statistics. If done by national regulatory OSH agencies, it standardises the recording and notification requirements, making it easier for establishments to comply.

One of the most authoritative and widely used guidance document is the ILO’s Code of Practice on the Recording and Notification of Occupational Accidents and Diseases, 1996 and its annexes, which is free and can be accessed at http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/standards-andinstruments/codes/WCMS _107800/lang— en/index.htm. The code recommends that national laws should require the notification of all fatal accidents immediately after occurrence and there should be a specified time within which non-fatal injuries are notified. It also recommends the minimum information that should be collected for each case of occupational injury.

The annexes to the Code provide detailed guidance in the classification of occupational diseases, industries, occupations, status in employment and industrial accidents. The provisions of the Code and the associated classification systems constitute mandatory requirements of all ILO Member States (MS) that have ratified the relevant conventions, and guidelines for MS that have not done so. This approach seeks to globally standardise and unify the recording and notification of occupational injury and disease data with universally accepted definitions of terms and procedures.

Towards improved OSH data collection

The problem of underand non-reporting must be aggressively addressed through education and enforcement. However, there needs to be a better understanding of, and adherence to, the internationally accepted reporting protocols by some regulators and many persons who record and notify occupational injuries and diseases. Additionally, some of our existing recording and notification systems are not following these guidelines, thus adversely impacting the reliability, validity and usefulness of some of the data generated. There is also the need for the inclusion of private insurance carriers, the police (traffic and homicide investigators), primary and secondary health care providers and other related interests in the collection and notification process. Greater collaboration is also needed between academic OSH interests and industry to facilitate much needed research. Industry needs to be reassured of the ethical requirements governing the management and reporting of the data that they provide.

The provision of reliable and valid OSH data, according to international protocols, is a very sound basis for the identification of priority areas for OSH policies and strategies and the making of sound OSH decisions. It is of paramount importance, therefore, that we ‘collect OSH data correctly as we seek to optimise their collection and use’. Norbert Campbell Lecturer, Department of Community Health & Psychiatry, UWI Honorary Secretary, JOHSPA