The industrial injuries in the daily life of workers of the metallurgical industry of Ukraine in the late XIX – early XX centuries

Abstract

The paper deals with the problem of occupational injuries in the daily life of the workers of the metallurgical industry of Ukraine in the late XIX and early XX centuries. During this period, the tendency to increase the level of occupational injuries among Ukrainian metallurgists dominated. The analysis of accidents statistics at the mining enterprises showed 3 spikes of occupational injuries: 1897-1899, 1900 and 1904. This can be explained, first, by the opening of new enterprises, which led to an increase in the number of employees, and secondly, the adoption of new legislative acts , which regulated the complete registration of all accidents at industrial enterprises.The analysis of the periodicals in the early of the XX century, reports of physicians and official statistical sources helped to comprehensively analyze the main causes and types of occupational injuries. The nature of the injuries was varied. Most of them occurred due to falling or striking heavy objects. Burns and injuries due to faulty equipment were one of the most common causes of injury in the workplace. For example, in 1901, every 38-th employee suffered from a fall or strike with a heavy subject, every 114-th of the burns, and every 127-th was injured due to defective equipment at the metallurgical plant.Complex production processes at the new metallurgical enterprises, exhausting working conditions, inexperience, inattention of newly-arrived workers and neglect of their safety rules were the main causes of accidents at metallurgical plants of Ukraine in the late XIX and early XX centuries. The issue of medical care for Ukrainian metallurgists is inextricably linked with the theme of work. In order to regulate medical assistance, the government in 1866 adopted a resolution obliging business owner to take measures for timely medical care. The factories opened hospitals. This has had a positive impact on providing first aid to the victims and their further treatment.