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Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015

Shockey, Taylor Morgan
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7689-1933
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155715411553358

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Public Health.
Background: Occupational exposure to airborne chemical agents is a concern for thousands of workers in the United States. Regulatory limits determine the level at which workers may be exposed to chemical agents, and exposure over these limits may indicate a risk for health hazards. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate exposure to specific airborne chemical agents by industry group, by occupation group, and over time using occupational exposure monitoring data in order to determine potential groups of workers that should be targeted for intervention and future research. In addition, this study used an auto-coding program in order to code the free text job descriptions to standardized occupation codes for the first time, as only industry was provided as a standardized code within the applied dataset. Methods: The study employed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and Occupational Safety and Health Information System (OIS) databases to evaluate personal air monitoring samples taken from 1979 through 2015. The OSHA IMIS/OIS is the largest occupational exposure database in the United States. Analyses were conducted in SAS. Exceedance fractions over an agent’s threshold limit value (TLV) or permissible exposure limit (PEL) were calculated through frequency analyses and linear regression was used to determine changes in geometric mean of exposure level over time. Statistical procedures included using logistic regression and mixed-model analyses to obtain odds ratios for the likelihood of exposure over an agent’s TLV or PEL in comparison to other industry or occupation groups. The NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS) version 3.0 was used to auto-code free text job descriptions into standardized occupation codes. Results: Examination of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) occupational exposure indicated that manufacturing industry groups including chemical and allied products, fabricated metals products, petroleum refining and related, and transportation equipment had large exceedance fractions over the agents’ respective PELs and/or TLVs. The exceedance fraction of benzene over the PEL and TLV decreased over the 35 year span. Analyses of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PERC) found that several dry cleaning related industries, had significant adjusted odds ratios above 1.0 for exposure to PERC over the TLV in comparison to other industry groups. TCE exposure over the TLV was elevated among the fabricated metal products. Among the construction industry records which were coded to determine occupation, the welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers occupation group was found to have significant adjusted odds ratios over 1.0 for exposure above the TLV to lead (inorganic, fumes and dusts), iron oxide fume, and zinc oxide fume. Lead (inorganic, fumes and dusts) exposure was elevated above the TLV among the painters, construction and maintenance occupation group. Conclusions: The OSHA IMIS/OIS datasets were successfully used to identify potential industry groups, occupation groups, and patterns of exposure over time that might indicate hazardous exposure to airborne chemical agents. In addition to successful and novel application of the data, the study identified the need for inclusion of standardized occupation in occupational exposure monitoring datasets as well as the need for data standardization to improve data quality and usage.
Michael Bisesi, PhD (Advisor)
John Crawford, PhD (Advisor)
Carolyn Sommerich, PhD (Committee Member)
Christopher Weghorst, PhD (Committee Member)
Olorunfemi Adetona, PhD (Committee Member)
204 p.
Occupational Health; Public Health
Occupational Health; Environmental Health Sciences; Public Health; Exposure Surveillance; Industrial Hygiene; Construction; Benzene; Toluene; Ethyl Benzene; Xylene; Trichloroethylene; Tetrachloroethylene;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Shockey, T. M. (2019). Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015 [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155715411553358

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shockey, Taylor. Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015 . 2019. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155715411553358.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shockey, Taylor. "Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015 ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155715411553358

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu155715411553358
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.