Pesticides on Farms: Limited Capability Exists to Monitor Occupational
Illnesses and Injuries (Letter Report, 12/15/93, GAO/PEMD-94-6).

Do monitoring systems at the state and federal levels accurately gauge
the nature and the extent of illnesses linked to pesticide exposure on
farms? GAO found that a number of federal and state reporting systems,
surveys, and other data sources provided some information on acute
pesticide-related illnesses in the United States.  Except for special
research studies, however, none address delayed onset or chronic health
effects.  Moreover, except for the California state monitoring system,
all are quite limited in coverage, comprehensiveness, and data quality.
As a result, the national incidence or prevalence of pesticide illnesses
in American agriculture cannot be determined.  Without a valid and
reliable means of monitoring, there is no way to spot problems that may
arise with the use of different pesticides or to determine whether risk
assessment and management practices successfully prevent hazardous
exposure.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  PEMD-94-6
     TITLE:  Pesticides on Farms: Limited Capability Exists to Monitor 
             Occupational Illnesses and Injuries
      DATE:  12/15/93
   SUBJECT:  Reporting requirements
             Pesticides
             Environmental monitoring
             Occupational health standards
             Health hazards
             Agricultural industry
             Computerized information systems
             Information gathering operations
             Federal/state relations
             Compliance
IDENTIFIER:  NIOSH Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational 
             Risks Program
             California
             CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System
             EPA Pesticide Incident Monitoring System
             EPA Incident Data System
             Colorado
             Idaho
             Illinois
             Louisiana
             North Carolina
             North Dakota
             South Dakota
             Vermont
             Arizona
             Florida
             Iowa
             New York
             Oregon
             Texas
             Washington
             South Carolina
             Nebraska
             New Jersey
             
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