Has Your Injury Been Reported To The State?

Occupational Injury and Illness Reports in Michigan

Since 1978, physicians, hospitals, clinics, other health professionals and employers have been required by the Michigan Public Health Code (Article 368, Part 56, P.A. 1978, as amended) to report known or suspected cases of occupational diseases. Until 1996, these reports were submitted to the Michigan Department of Public Health (MDPH). Reports are now submitted to the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (MDCIS). During the initial years after the reporting law was enacted, the number of reports received by the MDPH was generally less than one hundred each year. Following the 1988 implementation of the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (Project SENSOR), a statewide initiative for occupational disease surveillance, active solicitation of occupational disease (OD) reports began. Since 1988, the number of reports sent to the MDPH/MDCIS has increased substantially. Over the past eight years approximately 20,000 reports have been received annually.

Computerization of the OD report data, which began in 1991, allows for more efficient handling of the high volume of reports submitted and facilitates the use of these reports to direct surveillance, intervention and prevention efforts.

An example of intervention efforts is described in this newsletter. Click Here for a PDF copy of the occupational disease (OD) report that is submitted to MDCIS by companies and health care providers.

The form requests medical and demographic information on the affected employee and information about both the employer and the facility at which the employee became ill. This information is used to monitor occupational diseases within the state, and to assist in directing intervention and prevention efforts.

On-line occupational disease reporting has been available since 2001 through the Michigan State University Occupational and Environmental Medicine website: www.chm.msu.edu.

A secure server is used to maintain the confidentiality of the information submitted on-line. In addition, information can be submitted by:

•   Email: ODReport@msu.edu
  
  
•   Postage paid envelopes:
    call 1-800-446-7805 to request
  
  
•   Fax: (517) 432-3606
  
  
•   Phone-in: 1-800-446-7805
  
  
•   Mail directly to:
  
    MDCIS, Occupational Health Division
    Bureau of Safety & Regulation
    7150 Harris Drive
    P0 Box 30649
    Lansing, MI 48909-8 149