The data on occupational injuries and diseases contained in the National Workers' Compensation Statistics database have been compiled by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) from information supplied by Commonwealth, State and Territory workers' compensation authorities. These agencies processed workers' compensation claims received from insurance companies, self-insurers and some government departments. Most of the data supplied accorded with the recommendations of the National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics (NDS).

Tracking health outcomes and their related behavioral and environmental factors is a vital public health function. The National Academies has urged greater use of occupational injury and illness tracking data at the national level to identify priorities, focus resources, and evaluate prevention program effectiveness. In September 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) partnered with the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) program to sponsor a workshop on the use of workers' compensation data for occupational safety and health surveillance. Workshop participants came from academia, insurance companies and associations, self-insured corporations, labor unions, and state and federal government. Prominent researchers and stakeholders described and discussed potential use of workers' compensation data to track occupational injuries and illnesses, assess their burden, and identify innovative ideas for intervention. Panels concentrated on methods, the roles and perspectives of different stakeholders, and the factors that drive changes in incidence and cost. Opportunities and next steps were discussed in general sessions. These proceedings serve to inform the many stakeholders who did not attend the workshop. More importantly, these contents form a basis for continuing a dialogue on the use of workers' compensation data to track occupational injuries and to identify opportunities for protection of workers' health and well-being.

The Use of Workers' Compensation Data for Occupational Safety and Health Workshop was convened in June 2012 at the Frances Perkins Department of Labor Building in Washington DC. This was the second workshop that provided an opportunity for workers' compensation insurance industry organizations, public health practitioners and researchers, and government administrative agencies to discuss uses of workers' compensation data for public health issues. The burden of occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities is substantial. In the U.S. alone, costs are estimated at $250 billion annually. Tracking these costs and underlying hazards is essential for control of the economic and social burdens. Workers' compensation insurance covers but a fraction of these costs, although nearly all employers are required by the individual state mandates to have policies. Seemingly, claims records would be available for each incident yet investigators report at this workshop and elsewhere that the records are incomplete. Collaboration across the vested interests is needed to make workers' compensation data more suitable for research and surveillance purposes. In combination with other occupational safety and health resources, further utilization of workers' compensation data can help alleviate the burden of occupational injuries and illnesses in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The purpose for the June 2012 Use of Workers' Compensation Data for Occupational Safety and Health Workshop was to explore ways in which workers' compensation information can be used for public health research and surveillance. Thirty-five poster and platform presentations described studies that utilized workers' compensation information while exploring limitations of these resources. The workshop proceedings contain summary articles for the presentations plus notes from the discussion groups for the 6 white papers that were drafted for the workshop. The workshop was co-sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC), National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment for Research and Prevention (SHARP) program.