Is the Scientific Method Used to Update Haz-Map?
Figure 8. Weighing the evidence is one way to test the hypothesis.
The goal is to draw a map that is increasingly accurate with each iteration and to disseminate public health information that fits the current risk.
One of the strengths of Haz-Map is its consistency throughout because the map has been created and revised for over 20 years in the mind of one scientist who is committed to improving the map with each passing year. Like the editor of a textbook, the author is striving to present complex and voluminous information to the users in a manner that emphasizes concise summarization, accuracy, and readability.
For the last eight years, monthly teleconferences have been held between professional staff at the Department of Labor, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) and those who work on the SEM database and Haz-Map projects. Topics pertaining to causal relationships between chemicals and occupational diseases have been discussed during these calls and have included: Chronic Bronchitis & COPD, Pneumoconioses, Occupational Cancer, Occupational Renal Diseases, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Pulmonary Fibrosis
Revised: May 30, 2018