Occupational disease in Connecticut, 2000

This study was designed to establish the magnitude and distribution of reported occupational diseases in Connecticut based on 1998 data. Occupational disease is a reportable disease in Connecticut, yet is under-reported particularly for chronic conditions. The number of reported occupational diseases was 3,556 from workers' compensation reports, 1,444 from physician reports, and 5,510 from the Connecticut OSHA-Labor Department survey. Musculoskeletal disorders dominate the reports in all three databases, ranging from 46% to 62% of all illness reports. Skin conditions range from 8% to 18%; lung conditions from 9% to 16%; and infections from 1% to 18%. There are approximately 1.52 million workers in Connecticut, which results in a rate of 36.2 cases of occupational disease per 10,000 workers based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. These conditions are broken down by type, industry, and cause. Improved identification of work linkages can lead to better treatment and job placement, as well as improved prevention.