Skip to main content
. 2012 Sep 5;57(1):77–97. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mes055

Table 1.

Variables available in the IMIS and Salt Lake City OSHA laboratory electronic database.

Field Data type Description
Variables common to IMIS and the CEHD dataset
Inspection number Category Unique identifier tied to each inspection
Establishment name Text Establishment name associated to inspection (names contained in the IMIS are not unique; i.e. there may be more than one variation in the way a single establishment is spelled)
City Text Identifies the site city where the inspection was performed
State Category Identifies the site state where the inspection was performed
Zip code Category Identifies the site zip code where the inspection was performed
SIC code Category Indicates the four-digit Standard Industrial Classification Code from the 1987 or 1972 version (record prior to 1987 are coded according to the 1972 system)
NAISC code Category North American Industrial Classification System Code (Starting in 1997)
Sampling number Category Unique identifier tied to single exposure assessment (there may be multiple media tied to this number in the CEHD dataset, reflecting multiple samples used for the calculation of a time-weighted sample)
Office id Category Unique number assigned to an OSHA Office
Date sampled Date Date sample was taken
IMIS substance code Category IMIS substance code number
IMIS Substance name Category Substance chemical name
Variables specific to IMIS
State or federal Category Activity related to a state or federal OSHA plan
Inspection type Category Type of inspection: Un-programmed (complaint, referral by a safety officer, accident, follow-up, related to another inspection) Programmed (planned, related to another inspection)
Inspection coverage Category Comprehensive or partial survey of the establishment
Establishment size Continuous Number of employees in the company monitored
Employee covered Continuous Number of employees covered by the inspection
Employees exposed Continuous Number of employees in the exposure group associated with the record
Union status Category Union is present or not in the company monitored
Job title Text Short description of occupation
Frequency of exposure Text Short description of the frequency of exposure (e.g. 40 h per week)
Sample type Category Type of sample: Area, personal, blood, screening, urine, wipe, bulk
Exposure type Category Type of exposure: TWA, short-term exposure limit, ceiling, peak, non-detect, dose (noise), sound (noise level), not analysed, not valid
Advance notice given Yes/no The company was warned that an inspection would take place
Presence of employee representative Yes/no Employee representatives were present during the inspection
Interview of employees Yes/no Employees were interviewed during the inspection
Field Data type Description
Variables specific to the CEHD data
Instrument type Text Brief description of the laboratory instrument used for analysis
Lab number Category Unique identifier assigned by laboratory for internal use
Field number Category Unique identifier tied to an individual sample media submitted for analysis
Sample type Category Sample type of the measurement (Personal, Area, Bulk, Wipe, Screening)
Blank used Yes/no Sample represents an analytical blank
Time sampled Continuous Sample time in minutes
Air volume sampled Continuous Air volume sampled in liters
Sample result Continuous Sample result in concentration unit
Unit of measurement Category Unit of measurement (mg/m3, micrograms, Parts per million, milligrams, fibers/cc, percentage)
Sample weight Continuous Sample weight for bulks and silica samples (in mg)
Qualifier Category Identifies a sample as non-detect, analytical blank, approximate value, or member of a series of samples