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Occupational Injuries (occupational + injury)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	92%

Selected Abstracts

Eleven years of occupational mortality in law enforcement: The census of fatal occupational injuries, 1992,2002,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010
Hope M. Tiesman PhD
Abstract Background Occupational injury deaths remain high for Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs). This study describes and compares intentional and transportation-related fatality rates in US LEOs between 1992 and 2002. Methods Workplace injury deaths among LEOs from 1992 to 2002 were categorized into "Intentional," "Transportation-related," and "Other," using the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Occupations included in this analysis were sheriffs and bailiffs, police and detectives, non-public service guards, and correctional officers. Fatality rates were compared among law enforcement occupations, cause of death, and demographics with rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results During the 11-year period, 2,280 workers died from an occupational injury, for a fatality rate of 11.8 per 100,000 across all LEO occupations. Forty-seven percent were homicides (n,=,1,072, rate 5.6 per 100,000), 36% transportation-related (n,=,815, rate 4.2 per 100,000), 11% were due to other causes (n,=,249, rate 1.3 per 100,000), and 5% were workplace suicides (n,=,122, rate 0.6 per 100,000). The proportion of fatalities by cause of death differed significantly between occupations (P,<,0.0001). Sheriffs and bailiffs experience a high risk for occupational injury death compared to other law enforcement occupations. Of the transportation-related fatalities, LEOs were operating a motor-vehicle in 58% of the incidents and 22% of the fatalities were struck by incidents. Conclusions Transportation-related deaths were nearly as common as homicides as a cause of occupational injury death among US LEOs. Struck by vehicle incidents remain an important and overlooked cause of death. This research points to opportunities for the prevention of transportation-related deaths in law enforcement. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:940,949, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Agricultural tractor overturn deaths: Assessment of trends and risk factors,,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2010
John R. Myers MS
Abstract Background Tractor overturn deaths have been recognized as a public health concern for decades. Studies have reported on the hazards associated with tractor overturns, but none have reported on trends in tractor overturn fatality rates in the United States (US). Methods Tractor overturn fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used in Poisson regression models to: identify risk factors associated with overturn fatalities; examine trends in tractor overturn fatality rates between 1992 and 2007; and assess trends in overturn fatality rates for specific risk factors. Results Characteristics found to be associated with tractor overturn fatality rates were age, type of farm, region, and the victim's relationship to the farm (P,<,0.0001). Older age groups, crop farms, farms in the Midwest and Northeast, and family workers all had higher fatal tractor overturn risks. Overall, tractor overturn fatality rates declined 28.5% between 1992 and 2007. Significant decreases in tractor overturn fatality rates were found for the Northeast and South regions, hired workers, crop farms, and in every age group except those less than 25 years of age. Conclusions Tractor overturn fatality rates decreased between 1992 and 2007. These decreases were not consistent between different categories of the agricultural workforce or regions of the US. Changes in tractor overturn fatality rates may be partially explained by increases in the prevalence of ROPS on farm tractors in the US. ROPS promotion programs are needed to reduce tractor overturn fatalities, especially among those subpopulations at highest risk. Am. J. Ind. Med. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The law and incomplete database information as confounders in epidemiologic research on occupational injuries and illnesses,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2010
Arthur Oleinick MD
Abstract Background Capture,recapture studies report undercounting of work injuries/illnesses with days away from work (DAFW) in the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (BLS SOII) by 25,68% depending on the state and undercounting by various state workers' compensation (WC) systems of eligible claims by 5,35%. Methods Statutory/regulatory criteria defining eligible cases are used to adjust counts in the 1998,2001 Minnesota's WC system and the BLS SOII to permit comparison and to evaluate the recent studies. Missing information in the employer database used in the capture,recapture studies is tabulated. An attempt is made to harmonize results with two additional databases counting work injuries. Results Counts in the BLS SOII moderately undercount by 10,16% the number of WC cases. We believe that matching in capture,recapture studies is adversely affected by misperceptions regarding the application of statutory/regulatory eligibility criteria and by missing data. The result is that the reported undercounts in both the BLS SOII and several state WC databases are overstated in the capture,recapture studies. Although three of four databases can be approximately harmonized, the fourth cannot. Conclusions More precisely targeted information is needed before decisions regarding redesign of the BLS survey are made or before legislative or administrative changes in the WC are contemplated. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:23,36, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Co-worker fatalities from hydrogen sulfide

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2004
Robert G. Hendrickson MD
Abstract Background Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, odorless gas that may cause rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory depression without warning. It has produced toxicity in workers in numerous industries and occupations. Methods A review of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) for occupational deaths related to hydrogen sulfide from 1993 to 1999 was performed. Results Fifty-two workers died of hydrogen sulfide toxicity in this 7-year period. Deaths were most commonly reported in workers who were white (85%), male (98%), and in their first year of employment with the company (48%). Common industries included waste management, petroleum, and natural gas. In 21% of cases, a co-worker died simultaneously or in the attempt to save the workers. Conclusions Hydrogen sulfide toxicity is uncommon, but potentially deadly. Toxicity is predominantly in new workers and co-worker fatalities occur in a significant minority of cases. Proper training and education on the warning signs of hydrogen sulfide toxicity may help reduce worker fatalities. Am. J. Ind. Med. 45:346,350, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Occupational injuries to oregon workers 24 years and younger: An analysis of workers' compensation claims, 2000,2007

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 10 2010
Jaime K. Walters MPH
Abstract Background Occupational injuries to adolescents and young adults are a known public health problem. We sought to describe and estimate rates of occupational injuries to workers younger than 25 years of age in Oregon during an 8-year period. Methods Oregon workers' compensation disabling claims data (n,=,23,325) and one commercial insurance carrier's non-disabling claims data (n,=,16,153) were analyzed. Total employment from the Local Employment Dynamics of the U.S. Census Bureau and the Oregon Labor Market Information System was used as a denominator for rates. Results Injuries were more frequent among 22,24 year olds and among males, though females accounted for a higher proportion of claims in the youngest age group. The most common injury type was a sprain or strain, but lacerations and burns were more frequently reported in the 14,18 year olds. When non-disabling claims were included, the rate of injury for 14,18 year olds doubled. The overall rate of injury was 122.7/10,000 workers, but was higher in the construction, manufacturing, and transportation sectors, and in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector for older teens and young adults. Conclusions Young workers continue to be at risk for occupational injuries. Our results show that specific interventions may be needed for older teen and young adult workers to reduce their rate of injury. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:984,994, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Occupational injuries among emergency responders,,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2010
Audrey A. Reichard MPH
Abstract Background Emergency responders frequently incur injuries while providing medical, fire, and law enforcement services. National surveillance systems provide fragmented perspectives on responder injuries because they omit specific classes of workers (e.g., government or volunteers); they report only selected injuries; and employment information is incomplete. Methods We characterized injuries among emergency medical services (EMS), firefighting, and police occupations by using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System,Occupational Supplement (NEISS-Work) for injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2000,2001. Results Sprains and strains were the leading injury (33,41%) among EMS, firefighter, and police occupations. Police officers and career firefighters had the highest injury rates (8.5 and 7.4 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent workers, respectively). Conclusions The physical demands of emergency response are a leading cause of injuries that may benefit from similar interventions across the occupations. To assess risk, improved exposure data need to be acquired, particularly for volunteers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:1,11, 2010. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Occupational injuries among aides and nurses in acute care,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009
R.L. Rodríguez-Acosta PhD
Abstract Background Occupational injuries are common among nursing personnel. Most epidemiologic research on nursing aides comes from long-term care settings. Reports from acute care settings often combine data on nurses and aides even though their job requirements and personal characteristics are quite different. Our objective was to assess risk of work-related injuries in an acute care setting while contrasting injuries of aides and nurses. Methods A retrospective cohort of aides (n,=,1,689) and nurses (n,=,5,082) working in acute care at a large healthcare system between 1997 and 2004 were identified via personnel records. Workers' compensation filings were used to ascertain occupational injuries. Poisson regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results Aides had higher overall injury rates than nurses for no-lost work time (RR,=,1.2, 95% CI: 1.1,1.3) and lost work time (RR,=,2.8, 95% CI: 2.1,3.8) injuries. The risk of an injury due to lifting was greater among aides compared to nurses for both non-lost work time and lost work time injuries. Injury rates among aides were particularly high in rehabilitation and orthopedics units. Most of the injuries requiring time away from work for both groups were related to the process of delivering direct patient care. Conclusions Our findings illustrate the importance of evaluating work-related injuries separately for aides and nurses, given differences in injury risk profiles and injury outcomes. It is particularly important that occupational safety needs of aides be addressed as this occupation experiences significant job growth. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:953,964, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Job strain and the risk for occupational injury in small- to medium-sized manufacturing enterprises: A prospective study of 1,209 Korean employees

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009
Hwan-Cheol Kim MD
Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate whether job strain had an effect on the risk of occupational injury of workers at small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies. Methods We conducted a prospective follow-up survey and finally 1,209 workers in South Korea were included in this study. At time X1, we measured job stress with the Job Demand and Decision Latitude Questionnaire; and at time X2 (after 6 months), we evaluated occupational injuries through a single question. Occupational injuries were assessed using the question "Have you ever been injured at work, including minor scratches and cuts, in the previous four-month period" by self-reporting in the previous 4-month period. Results For men, the high job-demand group (OR,=,1.71, 95% CI,=,1.13,2.59) and high strain group (OR,=,1.79, 95% CI,=,1.02,3.14) showed the increased risk of occupational injury. For women, high job-demand (OR,=,2.11, 95% CI,=,1.18,3.78), low job control (OR,=,1.80, 95% CI,=,1.02,3.17), and high job strain (OR,=,3.57, 95% CI,=,1.62,7.86) were significantly associated with occupational injury. Conclusion Workers under high job strain showed higher risk for occupational injury. The efforts to minimize stress-related occupational injuries should be required. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:322,330, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Occupational injuries by hour of day and day of week: a 20-year study

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2006
Eric Wigglesworth
Objective: To examine by hour of day and day of week the 750,000 compensation claims that were lodged by male workers in Queensland, Australia, during the 20-year period from 1968 to 1988, including an investigation into some possible reasons for the increased number of claims on Mondays and the reduced number of claims on Fridays. Method: The study was based on the collection entitled Industrial Accident Statistics (Bulletin 79), published annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Queensland office. This was the only State collection to include data on compensated injuries categorised by hour of day and day of week. There was no Australia-wide dataset of compensated occupational injuries. Results: Compensation claims were not evenly distributed through the working week. There were more injuries on Mondays (23.6% of the total) than on Tuesdays (21.8%), than on Wednesdays (20.3%), than on Thursdays (18%), than on Fridays (16.3%). There were more injuries in the mornings than in the afternoons for every day of the working week. Conclusions and Implications: This study confirms the existence of a steady reduction in workers' compensation injury claims on successive days of the working week. One possible explanation for this finding is offered as a basis for further research into the reasons for this trend. Hopefully, the results of these and later studies may suggest remedial measures that will help reduce the number of occupational injuries. [source]

Innovative Work Practices, Information Technologies, and Working Conditions: Evidence for France

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 4 2010
PHILIPPE ASKENAZY
We investigate the impact of new work practices and information and communication technologies (ICT) on working conditions in France. We use a unique French dataset providing information on individual workers for the year 1998. New work practices include the use of quality norms, job rotation, collective discussions on work organization, and work time flexibility. Working conditions are captured by occupational injuries as well as indicators of mental strain. We find that individuals working under the new practices face greater mental strain than individuals who do not. They also face a higher probability of work injuries, at least for benign ones. In contrast, our results suggest that ICT contribute to make the workplace more cooperative and to reduce occupational risks and injuries. [source]

Injured Workers' Underreporting in the Health Care Industry: An Analysis Using Quantitative, Qualitative, and Observational Data

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 1 2010
MONICA GALIZZI
Underreporting of occupational injuries was examined in four health care facilities using quantitative, qualitative, and observational data. Occupational Safety and Health Administration logs accounted for only one-third of the workers' compensation records; 45 percent of injured workers followed by survey had workers' compensation claims. Workers reported 63 percent of serious occupational injuries. Underreporting is explained by time pressure and workers' doubts about eligibility, reputation, income loss, and career prospects. Though aware of underreporting, managers subtly believe in workers' moral hazard behaviors. [source]

Does Network Care Prolong Work Absences?

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 3 2006
WILLIAM G. JOHNSON
We used data on 120,000 workers with occupational injuries occurring in California, Connecticut, and Texas to analyze the effects of healthcare networks on postinjury durations of work absence. Controlling for selection and unobserved heterogeneity, work absences are shorter, all else equal, for network cases than for non-network cases. The shorter durations could reduce lost productivity by more than $3.8 million (a 9% reduction in work loss days for non-network cases) if network care were extended to the non-network cases in our sample. [source]

Sleep disturbances as a predictor of occupational injuries among public sector workers

JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH, Issue 1p2 2010
SIMO SALMINEN
Summary The association between disturbed sleep and increased risk of occupational injury has been observed in several cross-sectional and case,control studies, but prospective evidence is lacking. We examined prospectively whether sleep disturbances predicted occupational injuries in a large population of Finnish public sector employees. A total of 48 598 employees working in 10 municipalities and 21 hospitals in various parts of Finland were included. Sleep disturbances were assessed with the four-item Jenkins Sleep Problems Scale. Records of sickness absence due to occupational injury during the year following the survey were obtained from employers' registers. A proportion (9076; 22%) of participants reported disturbed sleep, and 978 (2.4%) had a recorded occupational injury. After adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, the odds ratio (OR) for occupational injury was 1.38 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02,1.87] times higher for men with experiences of disturbed sleep than for those without sleep disturbances, but not significant for women. Of the sub-dimensions of sleep disturbances, the OR for occupational injury was 1.69 (95% CI 1.26,2.26) for women with difficulties initiating sleep, but not significant for men. These associations remained after additional adjustment for work stress, sleep length, obesity, alcohol use and mental health. This study suggests that sleep disturbances are a significant predictor of occupational injuries even after accounting for a range of covariates. [source]

Heavy Drinking, Alcohol Dependence, and Injuries at Work Among Young Workers in the United States Labor Force

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2000
Mark A. Veazie
Background: To determine whether heavily drinking and alcohol-dependent workers are at higher risk of occupational injury, we analyzed the nationally representative cohort of people enrolled in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth since 1979. Methods: This analysis was restricted to the 8569 respondents in the 1989 annual interview (age 24,32) who were employed during the 6 months before the interview. We studied occupational injuries (excluding sprains or strains) reported within 6 months of the interview in 1989 (cross-sectional analysis) and 1990 (prospective analysis). Results: Among current drinkers, significant two-fold increases in the odds of injury for one or more episodes of heavy drinking were reduced to an odds ratio (OR) of 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.7, 2.1) in the cross-sectional analysis and an OR of 1.6 (CI 1.0, 2.8) in the prospective analysis after adjustment for confounding. No dose-response relationship with the frequency of heavy drinking was found. Alcohol-dependent respondents were not at higher risk of injury in the cross-sectional (OR = 1.1, CI 0.7, 1.8) or prospective (OR = 1.3, CI 0.8, 2.2) analyses after adjustment for confounding. Conclusions: For young U.S. workers, common occupational injuries (excluding sprains and strains) may not be strongly associated with alcohol dependence. Confounding by other risk factors may explain much of the association between being a heavy drinker and occupational injuries in this population. [source]

Occupational injuries to oregon workers 24 years and younger: An analysis of workers' compensation claims, 2000,2007

Eleven years of occupational mortality in law enforcement: The census of fatal occupational injuries, 1992,2002,

Traumatic occupational injuries in Hispanic and foreign born workers

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010
Linda Forst MD
Abstract Background Hispanic and foreign-born workers suffer high rates of occupational fatality. Reasons for this are not well understood. Our aim was to gather information about the details related to severe, non-fatal occupational injuries in this vulnerable population. Methods Eight years of data were obtained from an urban trauma center. In addition, medical consultations of individuals admitted for an occupational injury during an 8-month period are reported. Results Hispanics were more highly represented than expected; their number of injuries steadily rose. Hispanics were more likely to be injured by machinery and hand tools. Workers reported hazardous working conditions, lack of workers compensation, short time in current employment, and not working in their usual job. Conclusion Trauma systems can provide a glimpse of risk factors for severe injuries in vulnerable workers. We recommend greater use of this data source, follow backs, long-term follow up of individuals, and improvement of surveillance of vulnerable working populations. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:344,351, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Temporary workers in Washington State

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010
Caroline K. Smith MPH
Abstract Background Evidence regarding the unequal burden of occupational injuries between workers employed by temporary agencies and those in standard employment arrangements is unclear. Studies range from no significant differences in risk to substantial increased risk for temporary workers. The purpose of this study is to compare the workers' compensation experience of a large cohort of temporary agency employed workers with those in standard forms of employment. Methods Washington State Fund workers' compensation data were obtained for claims with injury dates from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2006, resulting in 342,540 accepted claims. General descriptive statistics, injury rates (per 10,000 FTE), and rate ratios (temp agency/standard employer) were computed by injury type and industry. Results Temporary agency employed workers had higher rates of injury for all injury types, and higher median time loss (40 vs. 27 days) but lower time loss costs (median $1,224 vs. $1,914, P,<,0.001) and lower medical costs ($3,026 vs. $4,087, P,<,0.001) than standard arrangement workers. Temporary agency workers had substantially higher rates for "caught in" and "struck by" injuries in the construction (IRR 4.93; 95% CI 2.80,8.08) and manufacturing (IRR 4.05; 95% CI 3.25, 5.00) industry sectors. Conclusion Temporary agency employed workers have higher claims incidence rates than those in standard employment arrangements. The rate ratios are twofold higher in the construction and manufacturing industry sectors. More research is needed to explore potential reasons for this disparity in occupational injuries. Industry or some measure of job exposure should be included when comparing injury rates in different types of employment in order to better identify areas for prevention. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:135,145 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Utilizing hospital discharge data (HD) to compare fatal and non-fatal work-related injuries among Hispanic workers in New Jersey

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010
K. McGreevy PhD
Abstract Background This study explores the utilization of Hospital Discharge (HD) data to obtain estimates of work-related non-fatal injuries rates in NJ to determine if Hispanics workers have an increased risk of specific work-related injuries. In addition, HD data are used to compare the rate ratios between fatal and non-fatal injuries in this population to demonstrate the effectiveness of using HD as a surveillance tool for monitoring injury trends and performing evaluations. Methods Several types of fatal and non-fatal injuries were modeled using Poisson regression with the following predictor variables: gender, ethnicity, and year. The estimated number of workers by ethnicity employed in NJ each year was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey, November 2006, a data mining tool which accesses CPS data. Results These analyses, utilizing estimates of working population at-risk, indicate that Hispanic workers have an increased risk of four particular work-related injuries compared with non-Hispanics, and Hispanics were injured at a younger age than non-Hispanics. In addition the rankings of the rate ratios from the comparison between non-fatal and fatal risk estimates were similar; indicating that occupational surveillance of non-fatal injuries is a viable component to be considered. Conclusions HD data are effective for monitoring trends over time across ethnic groups and injury types. Therefore, non-fatal injury surveillance should be considered for targeting specific worker populations for interventions to reduce exposure to workplace hazards, and can be a valuable surveillance tool in efforts to reduce occupational injuries. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:146,152 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The law and incomplete database information as confounders in epidemiologic research on occupational injuries and illnesses,

Occupational injuries among aides and nurses in acute care,

Effectiveness of the training program for workers at construction sites of the high-speed railway line between Torino and Novara: Impact on injury rates

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009
A. Bena MD
Abstract Background There are very few published studies evaluating the impact of safety and health training on injury outcomes in the construction industry. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the training program on injury rates at a major railway construction project. Methods The population consisted of 2,795 workers involved in a safety training program at the construction sites of the high-speed railway line Torino,Novara. Two types of analyses were carried out in order to assess the effectiveness of the training program in reducing the number of injuries: (i) a pre,post analysis, which took into account the fact that workers were enrolled at different times and the training intervention did not occur at the same time for all subjects; (ii) an interrupted time-series model, which corrected for the time trend and considered the autocorrelation between individual observations. Results Twenty-nine percent of workers who spent at least 1 day at the construction sites attended at least one training module. Pre,post analysis: At the end of the training program, the incidence of occupational injuries had fallen by 16% after the basic training module and by 25% following the specific modules. Time-series model: Training led to a 6% reduction in injury rates, which was not statistically significant. Conclusions The training program that was implemented had a moderately positive impact on the health of workers. Further studies are being conducted to obtain a more complete assessment of the actual effectiveness of the program in reducing the incidence of injuries. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:965,972, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Job strain and the risk for occupational injury in small- to medium-sized manufacturing enterprises: A prospective study of 1,209 Korean employees

Estimation of health-care costs for work-related injuries in the Mexican Institute of social security

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Fernando Carlos-Rivera MScE
Abstract Background Data on the economic consequences of occupational injuries is scarce in developing countries which prevents the recognition of their economic and social consequences. This study assess the direct heath care costs of work-related accidents in the Mexican Institute of Social Security, the largest health care institution in Latin America, which covered 12,735,856 workers and their families in 2005. Methods We estimated the cost of treatment for 295,594 officially reported occupational injuries nation wide. A group of medical experts devised treatment algorithms to quantify resource utilization for occupational injuries to which unit costs were applied. Total costs were estimated as the product of the cost per illness and the severity weighted incidence of occupational accidents. Results Occupational injury rate was 2.9 per 100 workers. Average medical care cost per case was $2,059 USD. The total cost of the health care of officially recognized injured workers was $753,420,222 USD. If injury rate is corrected for underreporting, the cost for formal injured workers is 791,216,460. If the same costs are applied for informal workers, approximately half of the working population in Mexico, the cost of healthcare for occupational injuries is about 1% of the gross domestic product. Conclusions Health care costs of occupational accidents are similar to the economic direct expenditures to compensate death and disability in the social security system in Mexico. However, indirect costs might be as important as direct costs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:195,201, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Factors that distinguish serious versus less severe Strain and sprain injuries: An analysis of electric utility workers

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Michael A. Kelsh PhD
Abstract Background Occupational sprain and strain injuries are one of the most common types of nonfatal occupational injuries and a significant source of lost workdays. This study examines factors associated with severe work-related sprain/strain injuries to the back, shoulder, and knees. Methods A synthetic case,control study was performed (controls were selected from the same pool of utility workers as cases). Cases included all electric utility workers who had experienced a severe work-related sprain/strain injury to the back, knee, or shoulder. Primary controls were selected from all workers who had sustained a minor injury. Secondary controls were selected from employees with a minor sprain/strain injury to the back, knee, or shoulder. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Workers 41 years and older were more likely to have experienced severe shoulder sprain/strain injuries [Age 41,50: OR,=,3.62, 95% CI: 1.71,7.65; age 51 and older: OR,=,4.49, 95% CI: 1.89,10.67] and severe back sprain/strain injuries [Age 41,50: OR,=,1.70, 95% CI: 1.06,2.33; age 51 and older: OR,=,1.5, 95% CI: 0.90,2.52]. Line workers and maintenance workers had an increased risk of serious sprain/strain injuries. Gender and day of week were not significantly associated with sprain/strain injuries. Discussion Though this study is limited by available data, future studies may benefit from this preliminary examination of occupational and demographic characteristics associated with serious sprain/strain injuries among electric utility workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:210,220, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Understanding the ergonomic risk for musculoskeletal disorders in the United States agricultural sector

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2007
Kermit G. Davis PhD
Abstract Introduction Farming is a very large industry in the United States. Understanding the risks for injuries and more specifically musculoskeletal disorders in this industry poses a challenge for health officials. Methods A review was conducted of the existing peer-reviewed publications prior to December 2006 about injuries and musculoskeletal disorders for farmers and farm workers. The aim was to review existing knowledge concerning: (1) the prevalence, types, and causes of farm-related injuries, paying particular attention to musculoskeletal disorders and the special populations within the agricultural sector, and (2) interventions that have been developed to reduce risk factors associated with farm-related injuries. Results Farmers and farm workers experience high rates of low back, shoulder, and upper extremity disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders may disproportionately affect farm youth and migrant workers due to the types of farm tasks performed. There is an urgent need for improved and validated interventions to reduce exposures and to improve the health of farmers and farm workers. Discussion Future farm-related musculoskeletal disorder research should emphasize: (1) better identification of exposures for special populations, (2) development of interventions for diverse farm populations, and (3) identification of additional exposures for musculoskeletal disorders. Inadequate understanding of musculoskeletal disorders in farming impedes efforts to prevent this common and important type of occupational injuries on farms. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:501,511, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The impact of occupational injury reduction on the U.S. economy,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 9 2006
Eduard Zaloshnja PhD
Abstract Background Preventing occupational injuries reduces labor and fringe benefit costs to employers. The related savings filter through the economy, impacting its performance. This study is a first attempt to measure the impact of occupational injury reduction on national economic output, gross domestic product, national income, and employment by using an input,output model of the U.S. economy. Methods Occupational injury costs by industry for 1993 were used as a baseline for an input,output model, and the impact of the 38% injury rate reduction between 1993 and 2002 was measured. All computations are in year 2000 dollars. Results Declining occupational injury between 1993 and 2002 increased employment by an estimated 550,000 jobs. The increase in gross domestic product (GDP) was $25.5 billion or 9% of the average annual GDP increase from 1993 to 2002. Conclusions These estimates represent the benefits of injury rate reduction but ignore associated prevention costs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:719,727, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

External cause-specific summaries of occupational fatal injuries.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2003
Part II: An analysis of years of potential life lost
Abstract Background Fatal injury surveillance data provide an opportunity to assess the impact of occupational injuries and may indicate which industries or occupations are appreciably more hazardous than others, and thus should be given priority in public health intervention. Methods Fatalities from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatality surveillance system served as the basis for examining external cause (E-code) specific impact summaries. Years of potential life lost (YPLL) were calculated for fatal injuries in the years 1983,1994. Industries and occupations were compared with respect to frequency of fatal injuries. In addition, injuries in categories of external causes are examined across all industries and occupations. Results Machinery, electric current, homicide, falls, and transportation-related are the external cause groups highlighted by high frequency/rate of occurrence. Electric current event groups are also characterized by high average YPLL. Poisoning, conflagration, and lightning were also identified in several occupations as having high associated average YPLL. Conclusions The external-cause-specific analysis of average YPLL identified industries and occupations where, on average, younger workers were dying in fatal injuries. Noteworthy in this assessment were homicides and falls. The YPLL measure coupled with more commonly employed indices (e.g., rates) may provide a fuller description of the impact of occupational fatal injuries. Am. J. Ind. Med. 43:251,261, 2003. Published 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]