Prevalence Of Work-related Injuries Research Articles

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Work-Related Injury Among Municipal Solid Waste Collectors in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Municipal solid waste collectors are at risk of experiencing work-related health problems due to the waste they handle and the physical effort they put in. Work-related injuries among domestic waste collectors have been the subject of scant research in developing nations. Therefore, it is necessary to describe work-related injuries in these subpopulation groups. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of work-related injury among municipal solid waste collectors in Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 11 to 30, 2022, with all the registered municipal solid waste collectors (411). Three diploma environmental health professionals assisted in collecting data using a pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire; 1 Bachelor of Science environmental health professional served as a supervisor. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used to enter, clean, code, and analyze the data. Associations between independent and dependent variables were assessed, and the strength of the associations was presented by using Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). According to the bivariable analysis, all independent variables associated with a P-value <.25 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. Variables in the multivariable regression analysis were considered significant if their P-value was less than 0.05. In this study, the prevalence of work-related injuries within the last 30 days was 12.9% (95% CI: 9.5, 16.3), while the prevalence over the last 12 months was 59.4% (95% CI: 54.7, 64.0). After adjusting for possible confounding factors, age 18 to 24 years [AOR = 1.72;95% CI: (1.07, 2.76)], lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization [AOR = 2.30; 95% CI: (1.44, 3.68)], chewing khat (yes) [AOR = 2.32;95% CI: (1.32, 4.08)], drinking alcohol (yes) [AOR = 1.80; 95% CI: (1.003, 3.24)] and job dissatisfaction [AOR = 2.26, 95% CI: (1.44, 3.54)] were shown to be significantly associated with work-related injury. The prevalence of work-related injuries was high. Age 18 to 24 years, chewing khat, drinking alcohol, lack of PPE utilization, and job dissatisfaction were significantly associated with work-related injury. Based on the findings of this study, we suggest that addressing these risk factors could help to reduce work-related injuries.

Prevalence of Work-Related Injuries and Associated Factors among Small-Scale Industry Workers in Woodworking Enterprises in the Kirkos Sub-City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023

Prevalence of Work-Related Injuries and Associated Factors among Small-Scale Industry Workers in Woodworking Enterprises in the Kirkos Sub-City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023

Risk factors for musculoskeletal problems in paddy field workers in northern iran: A community-based study.

Paddy cultivation of rice requires substantial physical strength, perseverance and manual labor. During the manual harvesting of paddy rice in Iran, laborers are exposed to several work-related physical risks. Paddy cultivation has been reported as one of the most important causes of nonfatal occupational injuries and accidents among farmers. With the aim of identifying which parts of the musculoskeletal structure are mostly affected as a result of working on paddy rice fields, the present study aimed to investigate the potential risk factors for musculoskeletal problems in paddy field workers in Mazandaran Province, Iran. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted among paddy field workers via multistage sampling in 2019. Prior to the interviews based on the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the participants were briefed about the objectives of the research and their consent was obtained for voluntary participation. Through interviews, data were collected on demographics, agricultural utilization systems, use of paddy tractors, frequency of tiller and tractor use, injuries sustained during the daytime, and outcomes of injuries by paddy field working. Responses were obtained from 384 workers using structured interviews. The respondents were asked to describe problems and pain in their neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands, upper back, hip and lower back. Logistic regression models were used to identify potential risk factors for musculoskeletal problems in specific body regions. The most commonly reported ailments were back pain (n = 29; 7.6%), cardiovascular disease (n = 25, 6.5%) and hypertension (n = 22, 5.7%). The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of back and shoulder injuries was higher among workers who used tillers and combine harvesters (2.85 and 1.66), transplanting machine (3.68), and those who did not use safe footwear (7). Knee injury risk was higher among those who cultivated rice manually (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35) and who used safety footwear (OR = 1.93), but was lower among those who used tractors (OR = 0.53). There was a small increase in the risk of knee injury with age (OR = 1.03). Confirming earlier works, musculoskeletal problems were found to be highly prevalent among rice workers. Disorders in certain body regions could be explained by specific individual and work-related factors. While the prevalence of work-related injury was high, mostly due to ignorance and disregard for personal convenience of the workers, the findings call for improvements in mechanization and division of labor time and force. Another highlight is that social worth is not given sufficiently to the health of paddy field workers. These should be worked on in future research to find ways of allocating machinery and worth to the workers.

Prevalence of work-related occupational injuries and its risk factors among brickfield workers in West Bengal, India

The manual brick making process is a physically demanding job with a high risk of work-related injuries. Prevalence of work-related injuries (17.55%) occurs frequently in manual brick making activities due to inherently hazardous nature. This study analyzes 451 recordable incidents that occurred over a period of 7 years (2011–2017) among 220 male and 180 female workers in a different brickfield of West Bengal, India. The leading cause of brickfield injury was fall from heights, struck by objects, overexertion, lack of awareness, slippage of spade while mud collection etc. Carrying bricks and spading are two activities, in which the injuries occurred most among female and male brickfield workers respectively. Risk factors like MMH, prolonged working time, repetitiveness, awkward posture, lack of rotational task, overcrowded work, Lack of personal protective device, and lastly sleep disturbance and poor income are the key factor for work-related injuries. Sprain and strain, cut or laceration, abrasion, avulsion, and snake or insect bite are the main injuries among both groups of brickfield workers. Lower back and toes are the most affected parts of the body followed by ankle, feet, and hand. From this study, it was also observed that female brickfield workers are much more affected than male agricultural workers. The incident rate among male and female brickfield workers was 18.7 per 1000 workers per year and 21.2 per 1000 workers per year, respectively. So due to injuries in both groups of brickfield workers, their health, productivity and work performance were consequently affected.

Risk factors and prevalence of work-related injuries and accidents among veterinarians in India.

Background and Aim:Veterinary medicine is a high-risk occupation and imparts a risk of physical injuries due to the unpredictable nature of the animals and workplace conditions. This study aimed to identify the associated risk factors and prevalence of work-related injuries, and automobile accidents among veterinarians in India.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out among veterinarians (n=565). The responses were recorded using a self-administered questionnaire on work-related injuries, automobile accidents, and physical hazards.Results:Work-related injuries due to animals in the past 2 years were reported by more than half of veterinarians (prevalence=54.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI]=50.58-58.79), while two-thirds experienced workplace injuries due to animals during any time of their career. The risk for injury was 1.1 times higher (odds ratio=1.1, 95% CI=0.611, 1.981) for veterinarians with a long job duration (>10 years). Large animal practicing veterinarians faced a higher (2.03 times) risk of injury. Workplace absenteeism due to animal-related injury (up to 15 or more days) was reported by 25.9% (95% CI=22.44-29.68) of respondents, including hospitalizations for 7.8% of veterinarians. More than half of veterinarians suffered from automobile injuries (prevalence=60.9%, 95% CI=6.8-64.8) due to work-related travel in the past 2 years, resulting in workplace absenteeism for 56.2% (95% CI=51.46-60.97) of subjects. The prevalence of needlestick injury among veterinarians was very high and reported as 80.9% (95% CI=77.49-83.99). Recapping of needles significantly increased the risk of needlestick injury by 1.67 times.Conclusion:Veterinarians are at risk of work-related injuries, including automobile accidents. Kicking by animals and needlestick injuries were the most frequent physical hazards. Recapping of needles and responding to emergency calls at night were significant risk factors for needlestick injury and automobile accidents, respectively.

Workplace injury and associated factors among construction workers in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundThe construction industry is one of the most hazardous working areas, where the highest number of labourers engaged. However, the predisposing factors for occupational injury in the construction sites in Ethiopia are not well investigated. This study was, therefore, conducted to assess the magnitude of occupational injury and associated factors among construction workers in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 566 construction workers. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select study subjects. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and observation checklist. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables significantly associated with occupational injury on the basis of adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and p < 0.05.ResultsThe overall prevalence of work-related injury in 3 months prior to the survey was found to be 39% (95% CI = 35.0–43.1%). The occurrence of occupational injury was associated with single workers [AOR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.25, 0.97], longer service year [AOR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.72–4.53], poor attention to work [AOR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.33, 5.29], working with vibrating hand tools [AOR = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.19, 8.76], no aware about occupational hazards [AOR = 4.66, 95% CI = 1.99, 10.87], and alcohol consumption [AOR = 3.16, 95% CI = 2.09, 4.79].ConclusionHigh prevalence of occupational injury was reported in the study area. Cut and fall were the leading causes. Marital status, service year, attention to work, use of vibrating hand tools, awareness about occupational hazards, and drinking alcohol were identified as factors associated with occupational injury. Therefore, health and safety trainings have to be taken place to aware workers about occupational injury and safety issues. Regular workplace supervision and provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) are also needed to prevent occupational injury. The findings of this study are useful to design and implement injury prevention strategies in the country. The study also contributes to the current literature as health and safety information is limited, especially in developing countries.

The Prevalence of Work-related Injuries and Exposures amongst Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians: A Literature Review

Objectives: To identify work-related injuries and exposures amongst paramedics and emergency medical technicians, along with their consequences, injury events, and the factors that cause them.Methods: A computerised online literature search for papers published on or after 2013 was conducted on the following databases: AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Delphis, NIHR Journals Library, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses AI all the papers were rated as yielding either moderate or low-quality evidence.Conclusions: Musculoskeletal injuries are a common occupational injury that can lead to work dissatisfaction, lost workdays, limitations following injuries, and the end of a career. They are caused by: body motion, exposure to harmful substances, accidents during ambulance operations, violence, or slips, trips and falls. Contributory factors include: a lack of expectancy, improper reactions to unexpected situations, inadequate concentration, inexperience, poor fitness, rushing, partner problems, the negative actions of other personnel, low salaries, multiple-jobs, long tours, lack of breaks, ambulance design, a lack of reporting, and weather conditions. These should all be considered when developing preventive solutions. The following recommendations were therefore made: identifying risk factors, holding regular meetings between supervisors and ambulance workers, enhancing the safety culture, following recent safety guidelines and policies, increasing safety awareness, developing positive relationships with other personnel, improving ambulances, improving reporting processes, and using reported data as the basis for further research and training.

A survey of work-related injuries among building construction workers in southwestern Ethiopia

Construction sites are known to be one of the most dangerous areas for human health and safety. In developing countries, enforcement of safety rules are often negligible to minimize occupational injuries and illnesses. As the result, work related injuries are very rampant. Currently, Ethiopia is one of the developing countries where strong growth of construction industries are observed. However the prevalence of injuries in these industries could vary from place to place and even by company. The present study assessed the prevalence of injury and associated factors among building construction workers in southwestern Ethiopia. Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among workers of construction industries located in Jimma town. A stratified multi-stage sampling followed by simple random sampling was used to select the study participants. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Physical examination of the study subjects was done to complement self-reported information of occupational injury. Bivariate logistic regression analyses followed by multivariate analyses were employed to identify main causes of injury. The overall prevalence of work-related injuries in the preceding one year was 41.4% [95% CI: (37.8, 49.4)]. The top five injuries were injured by object (36.9%), followed by lower back pain (35.6%), falling injury (23.5%), skin disorder (20.1%), and eye problem (18.2%). Working without personal protective equipment (PPE), absence of vocational training, khat chewing, and working overtime were significantly raised the odds of having work-related injuries among construction workers. The finding revealed that provision of safety equipment and promoting its utilization, avoiding work overload, and controlling khat use in workplace could help to minimize work-related injuries and occupational diseases to ensure construction site safety.

Work-Related Injury and Management Strategies Among Certified Athletic Trainers.

Health care workers have high rates of musculoskeletal injuries, but many of these injuries go unreported to workers' compensation and national surveillance systems. Little is known regarding the work-related injuries of certified athletic trainers (ATs). To determine the 12-month incidence and prevalence of work-related injuries and describe injury-reporting and -management strategies. Cross-sectional study. Population-based online survey. Of the 29 051 ATs currently certified by the Board of Certification, Inc, who "opted in" to research studies, we randomly selected 10 000. Of these, 1826 (18.3%) ATs currently working in the clinical setting were eligible and participated in the baseline survey. An online survey was e-mailed in May of 2012. We assessed self-reported work-related injuries in the previous 12 months and management strategies including medical care, work limitations or modifications, and time off work. Statistics (frequencies and percentages) were calculated to describe injury rates per 200 000 work hours, injury prevalence, injury characteristics, and injury-reporting and -management strategies. A total of 247 ATs reported 419 work-related injuries during the previous 12 months, for an incidence rate of 21.6 per 200 000 hours (95% confidence interval = 19.6, 23.7) and injury prevalence of 13.5% (95% confidence interval = 12.0%, 15.1%). The low back (26%), hand/fingers (9%), and knee (9%) were frequently affected body sites. Injuries were most often caused by bodily motion/overexertion/repetition (52%), contact with objects/equipment/persons (24%), or slips/trips/falls (15%). More than half of injured ATs (55.5%) sought medical care, 25% missed work, and most (77%) did not file a workers' compensation claim for their injury. Half of injured ATs were limited at work (n = 125), and 89% modified or changed their athletic training work as a result of the injury. More than half of AT work-related injuries required medical care or work limitations and were not reported for workers' compensation. Understanding how ATs care for and manage their work-related injuries is important given that few take time off work.

Prevalence, source and severity of work-related injuries among "foreign" construction workers in a large Malaysian organisation: a cross-sectional study.

: Malaysian construction sector is regarded as critical in the field of health because of the high rates of accidents and fatalities. This research aimed to determine the prevalence, sources and severity of injuries and its association with commitment to safety among foreign construction workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 foreign construction workers from six construction projects of a large organization in Malaysia, using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire to assess work-related injuries and safety commitment. The collected data was analysed by SPSS 22.0 using descriptive statistics and χ2 test. The prevalence of work-related injuries in a one year period was 22.6%, where most of the injuries were of moderate severity (39.7%) and falls from heights represented the main source (31.5%). The majority of the foreign construction workers had perceived between moderate and high safety commitment, which was significantly associated with work-related injuries. The results also showed a significant association of work-related injuries with the company’s interest in Safety and Health, Safety and Health training, and safety equipment. Thus, the implementation of new procedures and providing relevant trainings and safety equipment; will lead to a decrease in injury rates in construction sites.

Work-related musculoskeletal injuries amongst obstetrics and gynaecology trainees in East Midland region of the UK

PurposeWork-related musculoskeletal injuries (WRMSI) have been well known amongst obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) practitioners, but limited data have been reported. Our aim is to determine the prevalence, severity and characteristics of WRMSI amongst O&G trainees.MethodsA musculoskeletal ergonomic survey was conducted amongst the O&G trainees in the East-Midlands region of United Kingdom (UK). The survey comprised of demographic details, year of training, previous manual handling training, any work-related orthopaedic injury, the type of injury, any treatment received in addition to any sick leave incurred after the injury were also documented.ResultsThe response rate for the survey was 76% (59/78). The majority (22%) were senior specialist trainee, seventh year (ST7) and between 30 and 34 age groups. Approximately 90% of the trainees reported to have experienced pain in the last year. The most common site was the back, which was followed by the shoulders and the upper limbs. 63% of trainees reported injuries that were attributed to WRMSI. One in ten of the trainees needed time off work due to injury. A total of 20 days were lost in the last 12 months as a result of pain or discomfort attributed to obstetric work.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the prevalence of work-related injuries and its detrimental effects. Such injuries are underreported on incident reporting system. Ergonomics and WRMSI prevention in obstetrics and gynaecology is an area seldom discussed. Obstetric training sessions should incorporate ergonomic interventions. Further research is required to establish relevant aetiological factors related to WRMSI in this specialty.

Prevalence and injury patterns among electronic waste workers in the informal sector in Nigeria

BackgroundDespite the large volume of e-waste recycled informally, the prevalence of work-related injuries among e-waste workers is unknown. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with occupational...

Work related injury among Saudi Star Agro Industry workers in Gambella region, Ethiopia; a cross-sectional study

BackgroundWork injury is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, much of these work injuries burden can be found in industry required heavy manual work such as, agriculture and fishers. Hence; agriculture is consistently cited as one of the most hazardous industry in the world. The objective of this study isto assess the magnitude and associated factors of work related injury among Saudi Star Agro Industry workers in Gambella region, South West Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional based cross-sectional study design was conducted on Saudi Star Agro Industry located in Gambella region, from February - June 2014 on 449 randomly selected workers who arestratifiedby working department. Anobservation checklist, factory clinical records and a structured interview questioner were used as a data collection tools.ResultThe prevalence of work related injury was 36.7%. Marital status [AOR;1.69, 95%; CI;(1.1–2.7)], service year [AOR;1.9,95%; CI;(1.17–3.1)], working more than 48 h per week [AOR;9.87, 95%; CI;(5.95–16.28)],safety training [AOR;3.38, 95%;CI;1.14–9.98)], regular health checkup [AOR; 12.29, 95%; CI (9–51.35)] and usage of personal protective equipment [AOR; 2.36, 95%; CI; (1.06–5.25)] were significant factors for the occurrence of work related injury.ConclusionThe prevalence of work related injury was high. Working hours, safety training and regular health checkup increases the risk of work related injury.

The biomechanical demands of manual scaling on the shoulders & neck of dental hygienists

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postural and muscular demands placed on the shoulders and neck of dental hygienists when performing a simulated manual scaling task. Nineteen healthy female dental hygienists performed 30-min of simulated manual scaling on a manikin head in a laboratory setting. Surface electromyography was used to monitor muscle activity from several neck and shoulder muscles, and neck and arm elevation kinematics were evaluated using motion capture. The simulated scaling task resulted in a large range of neck and arm elevation angles and excessive low-level muscular demands in the neck extensor and scapular stabilising muscles. The physical demands varied depending on the working position of the hygienists relative to the manikin head. These findings are valuable in guiding future ergonomics interventions aimed at reducing the physical exposures of dental hygiene work.Practitioner Summary: Given that this study evaluates the physical demands of manual scaling, a procedure that is fundamental to dental hygiene work, the findings are valuable to identify ergonomics interventions to reduce the prevalence of work-related injuries, disability and the potential for early retirement among this occupational group.

Work-related injuries and stress level in nursing professional

Background: Nurses form an essential constituent of the health-care system. During the fulfilment discharge of their duties, nurses experience various types of work-related injuries and stress, which harmfully impacts their health and nursing quality. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of work-related injuries among nurses and to find the stress level among nurses. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted by selecting participants through simple random sampling technique. A total of 185 nurses with minimum 3 years of working experience in the same hospital were included in this study. The duration of work, type of injuries, time spent in direct patient-care activities within working hours, and various other factors such as job stress were assessed. Result: Needlestick injury was reported in 5.4% of nurses while working in last 1 year, whereas 19.5% nurses experienced varicose veins. Hospital-acquired infections were encountered by 7.4% of nurses. Occasionally stressful situation was reported by 56.9% of nurses, followed by 35.9% nurses being frequently stressful while working in the hospital. The most stressful situation for the nurses was to “deal with violence/abuse from patients” with mean of 2.3 and standard deviation 0.91 measured on 4-point scale. Moreover, the least stressful situation was “difficulty in working with a particular nurse,” with mean of 1.56 and standard deviation 0.70. Conclusion: Appropriate training and awareness should be given to the nurses to develop skills to deal with work-related injuries and stress during their nursing education.

Prevalence and determinants of work related injuries among small and medium scale industry workers in Bahir Dar Town, north west Ethiopia.

ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence and determinants of work-related injuries among small and medium scale industrial workers in Bahir Dar town, northwest Ethiopia.MethodCross sectional comparative study design was used. Purposive sampling method was used to choose the specific Kebele 14 of the study area, for its relatively high number of industries. The study units were stratified into small and medium scale industries. All workers who were available at the time of interview were included in the study. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using SPSS for windows 16.0.ResultA total of 328 and 655 workers from small and medium-scale industries respectively participated in the study. Seven hundred sixty nine (78.2%) were males. Three hundred thirty six workers (34.2%) reported that they had experienced work-related injuries. Sex, monthly salary, age, work experience and use of personal protective equipment were found to be different in the small and medium industries (P < 0.05).ConclusionThere was a high prevalence of work related injuries. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic, personal work behavior and the working environment have contributed for the injuries. Work-related injuries are assumed to be preventable with the provision of occupational health programs in workplaces. Thus it is recommended that the owners of industries need to focus on training and installing safer work environment and Further studies with large-scale coverage and prospective study designs are warranted.

Uncommon orbital cholesterol granuloma of the medial wall approached using a 3D endonasal endoscope

This cross sectional study design was conducted to assess occupational injury and associated factors among municipal solid waste management workers in G ondar town and Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia, 2012. Four hundred, eighty two workers were taken a s study subjects and data were collected by face to face interview. The overall annual prevalence rate of work related injury was 63.9 %.The one month per iod incidence, on another hand, was 11.7%. The severity of injury was also assessed by days lost due to injury: 110(35.7%) workers had non-serious accident which requires 1- 3 days’ absence from work and 77(25%) workers had serious accident which requires more than 3 days’ absence from work. In the study areas, high prevalence of work related injury (63.9 %) was reported. And old age, low educational statu s, engaged in two or more work categories, absence of health and safety training, Provision/utilization of personal protective equipments, sleeping disorder a nd alcohol consumption were identified as factors associated with work related injury.

Work related injuries and associated risk factors among iron and steel industries workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of work related injuries and associated risk factors among production workers in iron and steel industries in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. MethodsInstitution based cross-sectional study design was used from August to September, 2010. Four iron and steel industries were first stratified into three sections and a total of 453 production workers were selected by simple random sampling. Data was collected by face to face interview using pre-tested and structured questionnaire, review of records and by check lists. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16 and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the associated risk factors of injuries. ResultsThe injury prevalence rate was 33.3% per year and most common causes of injury were splitting and flying objects (16.4%), hit by falling objects (13.7%) and machinery (12.6%). Workers were exposed to preventable workplace hazards such as to excessive noise, fumes and dusts and to old and unguarded machines, splitting materials and sparking of metals. Workers consuming alcohol during working days, without spouse, perceiving their work highly stressful and not using personal protective equipment (PPE) were more likely to be injured than their counterpart. ConclusionsWork-related injuries were high among iron and steel industries workers. Work stress, non use of PPE, consuming alcohol during working days, and excessive noise were observed as modifiable risk factors. Therefore, creating awareness by providing training about risk factors, providing PPE and establishments of safety programs in industries can reduce and prevent workplace injuries.

Work-Related Injuries in Canadian Occupational Therapy Practice

No studies investigate work-related injuries experienced by Canadian occupational therapists. To identify the nature and prevalence of work-related injuries, impact of practice context, cultural and structural factors that influence response to these injuries, and strategies used to manage return-to-work after injury. Members of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists were sent an electronic survey in June 2009. Over half of the 600 respondents reported at least one injury episode. Patient-handling and equipment-related incidents accounted for the largest proportion of injuries. Almost one-third of respondents reported being threatened at work or experiencing workplace violence. Injured occupational therapists tended to minimize the extent and impact of their injuries by underreporting incidents and continuing to work after injury. These behaviours may contribute to a failure to recognize the reality of work-related injuries in occupational therapy practice and thereby limit the development of profession-specific, risk-minimization strategies.

Police and Security Officer Experiences of Occupational Violence and Injury in Australia

This study employed national workers' compensation data to examine and compare the nature and prevalence of work-related injuries and occupational violence experienced by Australian security officers and police between 2000 and 2008. The study found that while security officers' work-related injuries overall occurred at half the rate of police officers', the rates of occupational violence were about equal and followed the same trend over time — rising during the mid 2000s and then declining steadily. However, injuries to security officers appeared more serious than those experienced by police. Security officers were twice as likely to sustain a head injury and, on average, lost about six weeks more work than police. Compared with all other Australian occupations, security and police were in the top three highest claiming occupations for work-related injuries and deaths from occupational violence, with security officers at number one in both instances. The findings add to the very limited literature on injuries and violence experienced by police and security officers. However, the findings also show the need for more research on the specific situational factors involved in injuries and on what works in prevention.