A Comparative Analysis of Occupational Accidents between Indoor and Outdoor Workers in Telecommunications Industry

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to analyze the characteristics of occupational accidents and injuries of telecommunications line and cable workers by type of workplace and operational process of cabling service and to provide baseline data in establishing the preventive policies for occupational accidents and injuries. Background: In order to set up the preventive policies for occupational injuries and illness systematically, the accident analysis by industry should be preceded. To establish more effective policies, it should be done by occupation for persons who work in various kinds of occupation rather than by industry for persons who do in the same occupation. Method: In this study, the 176 occupational accidents and injuries were classified by type of workplace - indoor (inside building) and outdoor (at the top of utility pole, in a manhole, or in the fields) - and also done by operational process involved at the time of the accident. By analyzing the characteristics of occupational injuries and illness by type of workplace and operational process, respectively, this study can be helpful in establishing the preventative policies for occupational accidents and injuries. Results: The characteristics of occupational accidents and injuries by type of workplace showed that there were differences in terms of accident rate between indoor and outdoor on age of the injured, while not on employment-size and work experience of the injured. In addition, the characteristics on accident type, agency of accident, parts of body affected, and operational process between indoor and outdoor workplaces were statistically different each other. Conclusion and Application: The findings of occupational accidents’ characteristics can be applied to the establishment of systematic preventative policies for occupational accidents of telecommunications line/equipment workers.