The Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance (PennOSHS) Program aims to prevent and reduce work-related injuries, illnesses, deaths and occupational health disparities in Pennsylvania. By partnering with employers, workers and other occupational health stakeholders, PennOSHS provides data to support education and outreach materials and build a sustainable occupational health monitoring network across the state.
PennOSHS is dedicated to improving national occupational health, especially in work-related lead exposure, as Pennsylvania has one of the highest burdens of elevated adult blood lead levels in the nation. The Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program is a priority of PennOSHS. The current Pennsylvania ABLES program collects all blood lead test results for adults 16 years of age or older in PA with a blood lead level of 5 μg/dL or greater.
PennOSHS Highlights
On February 3, 2023, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio near the Ohio/Pennsylvania border. Pennsylvania first responders were among those to first arrive and respond to the incident. To determine potential chemical exposures and health outcomes among PA First Responders, Pennsylvania partnered with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to release an Assessment of Chemical Exposure (ACE) survey. The following report highlights key findings from ACE survey results.
Program Materials
Activities related to occupational safety and health are funded as part of the state occupational health surveillance program by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information, please contact us at dehe@pa.gov or 717-787-3350.
PennOSHS Resources
PennOSHS Annual Report 2021-2022
Additional Resources
CSTE Occupational Health website
NIOSH State Surveillance program
Center for Workforce Information and Analysis (PA L&I)
PennOSHS Partners
Drexel Environmental and Occupational Health
Penn Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology
American Industrial Hygiene Association - Pittsburgh Chapter
Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center
Labor & Industry Bureau of Workers Compensation
PHILAPOSH-Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health