Injury surveillance trends in career-technical education: New Jersey 1999-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents engaging in school-sponsored work experiences may be at risk of injury due to factors such as inexperience. This article examines trends in 20 years of reported injuries among New Jersey (NJ) adolescents engaging in school-sponsored work experiences, and compares a transition from paper to online reporting format. METHODS: New Jersey requires reporting of injuries occurring during school-sponsored work experiences to the NJ Department of Education. Injuries reported by NJ schools from 1999 to 2018 (n = 2,119) were examined; incidence rates for 2008 to 2018 (n = 743) were calculated using publicly available NJ Department of Education enrollment data for the denominator, including for specific groups of students: career and technical education; special healthcare needs. RESULTS: A downward trend in reported injuries in NJ schools was observed. However, the year online reporting became required by code (2013), an increase of nearly 50% was seen from 2012 (59-89), followed by a decline in reported incidents 2014 to 2018 (mean = 65, range 76 down to 47). Injury rate trends over time paralleled those of reported incidents. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested worker safety and public health benefits of improvements from State of NJ code required training programs and online injury surveillance report form. Practical Applications: One potential method to address the safety and health of adolescents engaging in work experiences is the use of online reporting forms, to aid in surveillance efforts, coupled with occupational safety and health training specifically geared toward teachers and administrators who both supervise young, relatively inexperienced and vulnerable workers and who make relatively frequent worksite visits. Incorporation of specific details of the instructions on the use of a reporting form into required trainings, in addition to providing a clear, accessible guidance manual online, could further help improve youth worker safety surveillance efforts.

Carboxyhaemoglobin Levels among Traders Exposed to Vehicular Emissions in Three Motor Parks in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Carbon monoxide (CO) remains a leading cause of work-related chemical poisoning. Vehicular emissions are the primary daily ambient source of CO in urban Nigerian motor parks, where there have been few human exposure studies. Using a cross-sectional comparative design, we assessed carboxyhaemoglobin levels (% COHb), a biomarker of CO exposure, among traders at three motor parks (AMP, IMP, and NMP) and other traders (nonmotor park workers) in Ibadan, Nigeria, using a noninvasive pulse CO-dosimeter (Rad 57). Ninety-three traders were proportionally allocated between motor parks; 93 other traders were selected based on specific study inclusion criteria. Mean ages of motor park traders and other traders were comparable, 37.8 ± 11.1 and 38.7 ± 9.6, respectively. Mean % COHb for traders (range 3-22) at AMP, IMP, and NMP was 11.2 ± 3.8, 11.6 ± 3.1, and 12.2 ± 3.3, respectively, while mean % COHb for other traders was about three times lower, 4.1 ± 1.7 (range 2-8). Overall, mean % COHb for motor park traders, 11.7 ± 3.3, was also significantly higher than for other traders (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, mean % COHb for both groups exceeded the current World Health Organization guideline, 2.5%. This study suggested that motor park traders have higher % COHb and thus are highly susceptible to exposure and more vulnerable to known risks of adverse health effects from exposure to CO.