The Occupational Public Health Program (OPHP), established in 1992 and supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), conducts research and develops robust surveillance systems and effective partnerships with stakeholders in occupational health to promote health and safety in the workplace. We achieve this aim through reporting on occupational health indicators and instances of workplace exposures, injuries, and fatalities. These two components—workplace health indicators and surveillance—form the core of the program.
Our occupational health surveillance program tracks workplace injuries, illnesses, hazards, deaths, and exposures on an annual basis in the State of Oregon. We make this information available to the public via the resources listed below.
Our mission
The Occupational Public Health Program's mission is to identify and prevent work-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths and promote the health and safety of all Oregon Workers. We achieve our mission by:
- Collecting, analyzing, and monitoring data
- Communicating findings to stakeholders
- Partnering with diverse groups to enable state-wide outreach and action
Occupational health indicators
An occupational health indicator is a specific measure of a work-related disease or injury, or a factor associated with occupational health, such as workplace exposures, hazards, or interventions, in a specified population.
Oregon Fatality Assessment Control and Evaluation project
The Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (OR-FACE) program conducts investigations of fatal occupational incidents to assess risk factors that include the working environment, the worker, activity, tools, energy exchange, and role of management.
Access resources
Investigation reports provide an overview of fatal workplace accidents in Oregon, including contributing factors and recommendations for helping prevent similar occurrences.
OR-FACE provides public access to incident maps containing information about fatal workplace accidents in the state of Oregon. Maps are sortable by event, industry, and occupation and contain data from 2003 to the present
Public access to a comprehensive list of documented workplace fatalities in the state of Oregon.
Hazard alert documents provide essential information about on-the-job safety issues and recommendations on how to improve workplace safety.
OR-FACE publishes safety booklets documenting critical information to help workers across industries and demographics promote safety at work.
Resources for facilitating Toolbox Talks—informal group discussions focused on safety issues. Our Toolbox Talks resources focus on safety in the construction, transportation, logging, and other industries and are available in English and Spanish.
Research aims
The Occupational Public Health Program conducts research investigating workplace fatalities and injuries in the state of Oregon to reduce such incidents and promote worker health and safety. Our research aims are to:
- Identify traumatic occupational fatalities through a statewide surveillance network
- Investigate selected traumatic occupational fatalities
- Have a multidisciplinary team analyze the surveillance and investigation data
- Develop and disseminate prevention strategies for these injuries
- Collaborate with other states and NIOSH to develop strategies to decrease the rate of occupational injuries and fatalities
Our partners
Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division - Workplace Health
We partner with the Oregon Health Authority to monitor and report on occupational health indicators in the state of Oregon. OHA's Workplace Health focuses on ensuring the health and well-being of people at work or affected by work. Employers, employees, co-workers, family members, customers, nearby communities, and many others are impacted by the workplace environment.
Oregon State Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program
For more than 40 years, NIOSH has recognized the key importance of state public health approaches to addressing occupational health problems. The Occupational Public Health Program is one of 22 state occupational safety and health surveillance programs sponsored by NIOSH. NIOSH began funding pilot surveillance programs in a limited number of state health departments in the 1970s.
Annual reports
The Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program investigates and reports on work-related fatalities that are caused by a traumatic injury and that occurred within Oregon.
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2021 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2020 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2019 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2018 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2017 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2016 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2015 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2014 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2013 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2012 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2011 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2010 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2009 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2008 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2007 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2006 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2005 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2004 Annual Report
- Occupational Fatalities in Oregon, 2003 Annual Report
Our staff
David Hurtado, Sc.D. – MPI of the Oregon Occupational Public Health Program
Email: hurtadod@ohsu.edu
Jackie Boyd, MPH – Research Project Coordinator
Email: boydja@ohsu.edu
Rachel Madjlesi, MPH, CIH – Fatality Investigator
Email: madjlesi@ohsu.edu
Gideon Potgieter – Student Worker
Email: potgiete@ohsu.edu
Jen Seamans, MPH, MST – MPI of the Oregon Occupational Public Health Program
Email: Jennifer.Seamans@oha.oregon.gov
Carol Trenga, Ph.D., MS – Environmental & Occupational Epidemiologist
Email: CAROL.A.TRENGA@oha.oregon.gov
Alan Martinez – Occupational Health & Pesticide Exposure Program Coordinator
Email: Alan.M.Martinez@oha.oregon.gov
Dagan Wright, Ph.D., MSPH – Senior Injury Epidemiologist and Informaticist
Email: DAGAN.A.WRIGHT@oha.oregon.gov
Dave Dreher – Research Analyst
Email: DAVID.M.DREHER@oha.oregon.gov
Contact us
Mailing address
OR-FACE Program
Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences
OHSU
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., L606
Portland, Oregon 97239-3098
Phone number
503-494-2281
Learn more about our work and provide feedback
Newsletter
Explore professional development opportunities, the latest updates from the Oregon Healthy Workforce Center and the Occupational Public Health Program, a research snapshot, and upcoming occupational health-focused events.
OPHP Publications
The Occupational Public Health Program regularly publishes hazard alerts, safety booklets, and other content organizations can use to promote worker health, safety, and well-being in the workplace. Use this form if you'd like to receive our publications.
Give us feedback
We appreciate and look forward to feedback on Occupational Public Health Program and OR-FACE investigative reports and sites. If you'd like to provide us feedback on reports produced by us, please use the form linked below.