U.S. Department of Energy Active Worker Population Surveillance
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uses epidemiologic research to assess the overall health of its current workforce at 14 DOE sites and facilities. Through its management of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) provides support to DOE in this effort. The goal of the illness and injury surveillance program is to identify groups of workers that may be at increased risk for occupation-related injury and illness. In response to indications of excess risk, program staff can assess the need for additional investigations.
Occupational medicine departments across the DOE complex routinely collect illness and injury data. Surveillance is based on continuous collection, analysis, and interpretation of selected morbidity, demographic, and occupational exposure data.
The data are transferred via secure electronic means to ORAU's data center. We check all data for completeness and validity and perform preliminary analyses. The data are then sent to DOE for further evaluation and interpretation.
Our epidemiologists prepare the annual summary reports for each participating facility. These reports can be accessed via the Illness and Injury Surveillance Program Web site or in DOE reading rooms.