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South Africa is well recognized for its progressive occupational health and safety legislation which makes provision for adequate surveillance and reporting of occupational health diseases and injuries. However, the standard of practice of occupational health in the country is not systematically monitored. In 1998, the National Centre for Occupational Health began a project to develop occupational health indicators for South Africa. This paper will discuss the difficulties encountered in producing the current occupational indicators report for South Africa, and in the process, highlight the challenges of translating research ideas into occupational health practice.
Methods
A desktop review was conducted of available information for the occupational health indicators report for 2010. Further information was requested from specific agencies.
Results
The initial idea for an occupational health indicators report was conceived by researchers at the NCOH who recognized the gap in information on occupational health practice in South Africa. Although wider consultation with state agencies occurred, no true partnership with government agencies was established. The first two indicator reports were well received and used by government to develop occupational health policies. However, because no system for regular reporting on selected indicators was established, it became increasingly difficult to obtain information and sustain the report. Thus a lag of 10 years occurred before the fourth report was produced from data available in the public domain. The report is characterized by inconsistencies in dates of reporting, lack of information for certain indicators and challenges with comparisons against previous year’s data.
Discussion
Lessons learned in South Africa and the plan for producing future reports will be useful for other developing countries attempting to establish a system for occupational health indicators reporting.