Development of methods for using workers' compensation data for surveillance and prevention of occupational injuries among State-insured private employers in Ohio.
Workers' compensation (WC) claims data may be useful for identifying high-risk industries and developing prevention strategies.



WC claims data from private-industry employers insured by the Ohio state-based workers' compensation carrier from 2001 to 2011 were linked with the state's unemployment insurance (UI) data on the employer's industry and number of employees. National Labor Productivity and Costs survey data were used to adjust UI data and estimate full-time equivalents (FTE). Rates of WC claims per 100 FTE were computed and Poisson regression was used to evaluate differences in rates.



Most industries showed substantial claim count and rate reductions from 2001 to 2008, followed by a leveling or slight increase in claim count and rate from 2009 to 2011. Despite reductions, there were industry groups that had consistently higher rates.



WC claims data linked to employment data could be used to prioritize industries for injury research and prevention activities among State-insured private employers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:1087-1104, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Steven J
SJ
Wurzelbacher
Division of Safety and Hygiene, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Columbus, Ohio.
Ibraheem S
IS
Al-Tarawneh
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Alysha R
AR
Meyers
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
P Timothy
PT
Bushnell
Division of Safety and Hygiene, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Columbus, Ohio.
Michael P
MP
Lampl
Division of Safety and Hygiene, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Columbus, Ohio.
David C
DC
Robins
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Chih-Yu
CY
Tseng
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Chia
C
Wei
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Stephen J
SJ
Bertke
Adivo Inc., Columbus, Ohio.
Jill A
JA
Raudabaugh
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Thomas M
TM
Haviland
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, Center for Workers' Compensation Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Teresa M
TM
Schnorr
D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
claims; prevention; safety; surveillance; workers’ compensation