Development of an occupational health data base system.

Operational concerns, coupled with rising workers' compensation costs and the proliferation of regulatory requirements, call for a new approach to occupational health data base management. To meet this challenge, an automated system to store and manage worker and workplace exposure data is being developed. The system will include individual minicomputers at local Air Force bases and a central host computer for long-term storage and retrieval. The first step in establishing this data base is the standardization of data entry and storage at base level. This manual system, known as the Standardized Occupational Health Program (SOHP), serves as the basic building block for the Computerized Occupational Health Program (COHP). Standardization and automation of all relevant industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, and environmental data will significantly enhance the flow of information needed by those charged with providing a healthful work environment for Air Force personnel.