Abstract
This descriptive research aimed to recognize the occurrence of work accidents (WA) involving exposure to biological material among health workers at Public Health Units in Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil. A quantitative approach was adopted. In 2004, 155 accidents were notified by means of the Work Accident Communication (WAC). Sixty-two accidents (40%) involved exposure to biological material that could cause infections like Hepatitis and Aids. The highest number of victims (42 accidents) came from the category of nursing aids and technicians. Needles were responsible for 80.6% of accidents and blood was the biological material involved in a majority of occupational exposure cases. This subject needs greater attention, so that prevention measures can be implemented, which consider the peculiarities of the activities carried out by the different professional categories.
Highlights
According to the Ministry of Social Security[1], occupation accidents (OA) are defined as accidents that occur in performing work in a firm’s service or yet by the exercise of work by especially insured workers, causing body injury or functional disorder that leads to death, to the permanent or temporary loss or reduction of work capacity
Occupational accidents are traditionally classified as type or typical accidents, route accidents and those related to work
A study performed at health units in CuiabaMT, Brazil, demonstrated that violence in the nursing work context in health units happens in two distinct ways: structural/institutional and behavioral/ relational, which turn into the following types of violence: structural violence; repressive violence; violence alienation; and classic violence[2]
Summary
According to the Ministry of Social Security[1], occupation accidents (OA) are defined as accidents that occur in performing work in a firm’s service or yet by the exercise of work by especially insured workers, causing body injury or functional disorder that leads to death, to the permanent or temporary loss or reduction of work capacity. Occupational accidents are traditionally classified as type or typical accidents (those that occurred in the work environment and/or during the work journey), route accidents (those that occur in the trajectory from home to work and from work to home) and those related to work. This is an issue of national and international relevance due to the losses it causes to health workers, employment institutions and governmental institutions. The OA can be related to a series of predisposing factors, due to the peculiarities of human care activities. A study performed at health units in CuiabaMT, Brazil, demonstrated that violence in the nursing work context in health units happens in two distinct ways: structural/institutional and behavioral/ relational, which turn into the following types of violence: structural violence (imposition to workers of physical and mental overload); repressive violence (denying the right to implement care activities safely and to act in a safe work environment); violence alienation (explicitly impeding workers to perform competently, effectively and professionally and to be socially valued); and classic violence (physical and verbal aggressions by health team members and users)(2)
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