Overview

Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalization Surveillance System

A work-related immediate inpatient hospitalization is a work-related injury that leads to an inpatient hospital admission within one day of the injury event (based on day, not 24 hours).

Cases are identified through a multi-step linking process using two data sources:

  • Washington workers' compensation (WC) data
  • Washington's hospital discharge data—the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS).

Public health importance of Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalization Surveillance

Immediate inpatient hospitalizations resulting from work-related injuries represent a small proportion of injuries, but are severe, costly, and preventable injuries that indicate a need for intervention.

Acute traumatic injuries account for a high proportion of immediate inpatient hospitalizations. Employers throughout the United States are required to report work-related hospitalizations to their state or OSHA regional office. Understanding more about these hospitalizations may be valuable both for prevention efforts and for assessing the completeness of employer reporting.

Purpose & Operations of Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalization Surveillance

Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations data allows for:

  1. Quantifying prevalence by industry & occupation of work-related injuries and illnesses that lead to immediate inpatient hospitalizations.
  2. Identifying high-risk occupations/industries and health disparities/risks.
  3. Aiding in targeting prevention efforts.

Employers, policymakers, and health promotion practitioners can use the study findings to target and prioritize prevention efforts for injuries most likely to cause an work-related immediate hospitalization.

Publications

Technical Reports

Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations, Washington State, 2021

Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations-Washington State, 2019 and 2020

Work-Related Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations, Washington State, 2014-2018

Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations for Work-Related Injury or Illness - Washington State, 2015

Immediate Inpatient Hospitalizations for Work-Related Injury: Washington State, 2014

Industry-Specific Reports

Immediate Work-Related Inpatient Hospitalizations in the Washington State Trucking Industry: 2003-2016

Immediate Work-Related Inpatient Hospitalizations in Crop & Animal Production Agriculture: Washington State, 2011-2015

Legislative Reports

2023

2022

2021

2020

Additional Resources

Top five work-related injury events by industry resulting in immediate hospitalization, 2013-2017 Washington

Prevention Resources

Sign up to receive work-related hospitalization prevention resources by email.

Worker Hospitalization Alerts

Agriculture

Foreman’s Leg Crushed in Power Takeoff Shaft | Spanish

Worker’s Leg Caught In Overloaded Conveyor | Spanish

Cannabis Processing

Worker Amputates Finger Tip on Bud Trimmer Blade

Construction

Ironworker Falls 53-feet down Elevator Shaft | Spanish | Russian

Roofer Falls From Extension Ladder | Spanish | Russian

Foreman Falls 15 Feet from Roof | Spanish | Russian

Temporary Worker Struck by Falling Scaffold Plank | Spanish | Russian

Worker Hospitalized After Fall from Mobile Scaffold | Spanish | Russian

Foreman Falls 15 Feet from Ladder | Spanish | Russian

Tire Dealers

Technician Injured when Overinflated Tire Explodes

Transportation and Warehousing

Worker Crushed Between Two Forklifts | Spanish

Hospitalization Hazards

Agriculture

ATV Rollover in Agriculture  | Spanish

Orchard Tractor Rollover | Spanish

Orchard Ladder Falls | Spanish

Construction

Grading and Site Preparation Equipment | Spanish | Russian

Roofing Falls in Residential Construction | Spanish | Russian

Manufacturing

Food Manufacturing Conveyors | Spanish | Russian

Transportation and Warehousing

Falls From Elevation While Tarping | Spanish | Russian | Amharic | Punjabi