Original Paper
Investigating and analysing workplace clusters of diseases: a Health & Safety Executive perspective

Authors: McElvenny1 D.M.1; Mounstephen2 A.H.2; Hodgson1 J.T.1; Osman1 J.1; Elliott3 R.C.3; Williams4 N.R.4

Source: Occupational Medicine, Volume 53, Number 3, May 2003 , pp. 201-208(8)

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content

Abstract:

Background Clusters of disease arising in workplaces cause concern among the management of the company, the workers affected and their families and friends. Chance is the most likely explanation for their occurrence, although a number of real workplace hazards have been identified through their observation and investigation. Employers have a duty to investigate such occurrences in order to assess whether some unknown or unidentified hazard is at work and to take the appropriate action. Several papers have been published over the last 15 years or so that set out a method for investigating workplace clusters of disease.

Aims This paper presents the steps in the approach taken by the Health & Safety Executive in Great Britain.

Method An initial step identifies the relevant stakeholders at the outset, in order to maintain a realistic expectation of what the investigation can hope to achieve and to open a dialogue. The main steps in the assessment are: (1) identifying cases; (2) determining the other parameters of the investigation; (3) statistically assessing the cluster; (4) examining potential exposures and assessing their biological plausibility; and (5) determining the overall significance of the cluster. The approach is illustrated throughout by examples.

Keywords: Cluster; examples; Great Britain; investigation; method; workplace

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Health & Safety Executive, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3QZ, UK. 2: Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Service, Fife Primary Care NHS Trust, Fife KY11 2BJ, UK. 3: Medical Unit, Health & Safety Executive, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3QZ, UK. 4: Employment Medical Advisory Service, Health & Safety Executive, Birmingham B16 8HS, UK.

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$40.19 plus tax

 

OR

Back to top

Key:
Free Content - Free Content
New Content - New Content
Subscribed Content - Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content - Free Trial Content
Page Help Click here for Page Help
Shopping cart
Tools
Sign in






Need to register?
Sign up here
Text size: A | A | A | A