Traumatic Occupational Injuries Research Articles

Low blood glucose and fatigue accumulation at peak hours of occupational trauma in secondary industry workers

Objectives. The incidence of occupational traumatic injuries caused by human error has been reported to occur at 11:00 and 8–9 h after commencing work. Impaired attention is closely related to the incidence of these accidents. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the changes in blood glucose, fatigue and stress response hormone levels over time among workers in a secondary industry. Methods. The blood glucose and subjective fatigue levels of 26 male secondary-industry workers were measured on workdays. In addition, the cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone levels in saliva were measured on one workday and one holiday. Results. Blood glucose levels at 11:00 and 17:30 on the workday were significantly lower than those at 09:30. Moreover, hypoglycemia was observed in some participants. A significant increase in subjective fatigue levels was observed during the workday. However, no significant differences in salivary cortisol levels were observed between the workday and the holiday at any time point. Conclusions. Blood glucose levels decreased and subjective fatigue levels increased at the time points that occupational accidents were reported to occur most frequently during work. These factors may contribute to human errors due to impaired attentional function.

Hispanic Farmers Experience Shorter EMS Response Times but Longer Emergency Department Length of Stay Following Occupational Injuries.

Agriculture has the highest rate of fatal injuries by sector. Hispanic workers also experience more fatal work injuries than every other minority group combined. Pre-hospital and initial trauma evaluation represent an important marker to understand the impact of a trauma system. We sought to investigate whether Hispanic agricultural workers in the United States (US) experience disparities following traumatic occupational injuries in terms of pre-hospital and emergency department care. We retrospectively analyzed the National Trauma Data Bank from 2012-2016 to understand differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic farmers in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response and transport times (minutes), transport mode, transfer rates, presentation to University or Level I trauma hospitals, Injury Severity Scores (ISS), length of stay (LOS) in the emergency department (ED, minutes) or hospital (days), need for the operating room (OR), admittance to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and mortality. A total of 6,161 farmers were included in our analyses (median age 47years, females 7.0%). Multivariable analyses indicate differences regarding EMS response, EMS transport, and LOS in the ED. Rates of admission to the ICU, surgical operations, days on a ventilator, discharge from the hospital with supportive care, and mortality did not differ between groups. Non-Hispanic patients have longer median EMS response and total transport times. Hispanic patients have longer median LOS in the ED. However, the lack of significant differences in management variables other than EMS times and ED LOS indicate an equitable delivery of trauma care once patients were transferred from the ED.

Pattern of traumatic occupational injuries in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the labor market is thriving, employing a large workforce in occupations that carry a high risk for traumatic injuries such as construction, transportation, and manufacturing. These jobs usually involve physical exertion, power tools, high-voltage electricity, working at heights, and exposure to bad weather conditions that could potentially lead to injury. This study aimed to determine patterns of traumatic occupational injuries in Riyadh, KSA. A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital and Prince Sultan Centre for Healthcare, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, and the Al-Kharj Military Industries Corporation Hospital in Al-Kharj City in the KSA between July 2021 and 2022. Descriptive analysis elucidated the type, severity, and patterns of management of non-fatal traumatic occupational injuries. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Weibull model for length of hospital stay adjusted for age, gender, nationality, cause for injury, and injury severity scale (ISS) scores were constructed. A total of 73 patients with a mean age of 33.8 ± 14.1 years were included in the study. The most common cause of occupational injury was falling from height (87.7%). The median length of hospital stay was 6 days (IQR: 4 - 7), with no mortalities. In the adjusted survival model, compared to migrants, Saudi nationals had a 45% lower median hospital stay (-62 to - 21), P < 0.01, and every 1-point increase in ISS was associated with a 5% increase in median length of hospital stay (CI: 3 - 7, P < 0.01). Being a Saudi national and having lower ISS scores were associated with shorter durations of hospital stay. Our findings indicate the need for improved occupational safety measures, especially among migrant, foreign-born, and ethnic minority workers.

Analysis of causes, circumstances and consequences of occupational traumatic injuries at the food beverage enterprises

Analysis of causes, circumstances and consequences of occupational traumatic injuries at the food beverage enterprises

Heat Exposure and Occupational Injuries: Review of the Literature and Implications.

The burden of heat-related adverse occupational health effects, as well as traumatic injuries, is already substantial. Projected increases in mean temperatures and extreme events may increase the risk of adverse heat health effects and enhance disparities among exposed workers. This article reviews the emerging literature on the relationship between heat exposure and occupational traumatic injuries and discusses implications of this work. A recent meta-analysis of three case-crossover and five time series studies in industrialized settings reported an association of increasing occupational injuries with increasing heat exposure, with increased effect estimates for male gender and age less than 25years, although heterogeneity in exposure metrics and sources of bias were demonstrated to varying degrees across studies. A subsequent case-crossover study in outdoor construction workers reported a 0.5% increase in the odds of traumatic injuries per 1°C increase in maximum daily humidex (odds ratio 1.005 [95% CI 1.003-1.007]). While some studies have demonstrated reversed U-shaped associations between heat exposure and occupational injuries, different risk profiles have been reported in different industries and settings. Studies conducted primarily in industrialized settings suggest an increased risk of traumatic injury with increasing heat exposure, though the exact mechanisms of heat exposure's effects on traumatic injuries are still under investigation. The effectiveness of heat-related injury prevention approaches has not yet been established. To enhance the effectiveness of prevention efforts, prioritization of approaches should take into account not only the hierarchy of controls, social-ecological models, community and stakeholder participation, and tailoring of approaches to specific local work settings, but also methods that reduce local and global disparities and better address the source of heat exposure, including conservation-informed land-use planning, built environment, and prevention through design approaches. Participation of occupational health experts in transdisciplinary development and integration of these approaches is needed.

A case-crossover study of heat exposure and injury risk among outdoor construction workers in Washington State.

Objectives The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between heat exposure and occupational traumatic injuries among construction workers. Methods We assessed the relationship between humidex, a measure of apparent temperature, and Washington State Fund workers' compensation injuries among outdoor construction workers using a case-crossover design with time-stratified referent selection. Warm month (March-October) adult outdoor construction traumatic injury claims from 2000-2012 were spatiotemporally joined with high-resolution meteorological data. We used conditional logistic regression with linear splines to assess the association between maximum daily humidex and injuries. Results There were 63 720 occupational traumatic injury claims in construction that met our eligibility criteria during the study period. The traumatic injury odds ratio (OR) was 1.005 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003-1.007] per one °C change in humidex. In the spline analyses, we observed a nearly linear association of humidex with the risk of a traumatic injury. Effect estimates were higher among younger (18-24 years) and older (>54 years) workers, workers with lower extremity injuries, workers with less job experience, smaller employers, workers working in Western Washington, and time of injury before 12:30 hours, although CI of effect estimates overlapped in stratified analysis categories. Conclusions In this study of Washington outdoor construction workers, increasing maximum daily humidex was associated with increasing traumatic injury risk. Further work should explore mechanisms of the association between heat exposure and traumatic injuries. Injury prevention efforts targeted at construction should address heat-related risk factors. In addition, heat awareness campaigns should address outcomes beyond heat-related illness.

Occupational traumatic injuries among offshore seafood processors in Alaska, 2010–2015

IntroductionThe U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration have identified the Alaskan offshore seafood processing industry as high-risk. This study used Coast Guard injury reports to describe patterns of traumatic injury among offshore seafood processors, as well as identify modifiable hazards. MethodsFrom the reports, we manually reviewed and abstracted information on the incident circumstances, injury characteristics and circumstances, and vessel. Traumatic injury cases were coded using the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System, and a Work Process Classification System. Descriptive statistics characterized worker demographics, injuries, and fleets. ResultsOne fatal and 304 nonfatal injuries among processors were reported to the Coast Guard during 2010–2015 across multiple fleets of catcher-processor and mothership vessels. The most frequently occurring injuries were: by nature of injury, sprains/strains/tears (75, 25%), contusions (50, 16%), and fractures (45, 15%); by body part affected, upper extremities (121, 40%), and trunk (75, 25%); by event/exposure resulting in injury, contact with objects and equipment (150, 49%), and overexertion and bodily reaction (76, 25%); and by source of injury, processing equipment and machinery (85, 28%). The work processes most frequently associated with injuries were: processing seafood on the production line (68, 22%); stacking blocks/bags of frozen product (50, 17%); and repairing/maintaining/cleaning factory equipment (28, 9%). ConclusionsPreventing musculoskeletal injuries, particularly to workers' upper extremities and trunks, is paramount. Some injuries, such as serious back injuries, intracranial injuries, and finger crushing or amputations, had the potential to lead to disability. Practical applicationsSafety professionals and researchers can use the study findings to inform future intervention efforts in this industry. Hazard control measures should target: (a) overexertion from lifting and lowering objects and equipment; (b) equipment and boxes falling and striking workers; (c) workers being caught in running machinery during regular operations; and (d) slips, trips, and falls.

Metrics to assess injury prevention programs for young workers in high-risk occupations: a scoping review of the literature.

Despite legal protections for young workers in Canada, youth aged 15-24 are at high risk of traumatic occupational injury. While many injury prevention initiatives targeting young workers exist, the challenge faced by youth advocates and employers is deciding what aspect(s) of prevention will be the most effective focus for their efforts. A review of the academic and grey literatures was undertaken to compile the metrics-both the indicators being evaluated and the methods of measurement-commonly used to assess injury prevention programs for young workers. Metrics are standards of measurement through which efficiency, performance, progress, or quality of a plan, process, or product can be assessed. A PICO framework was used to develop search terms. Medline, PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, CCOHS, PsychINFO, CINAHL, NIOSHTIC, Google Scholar and the grey literature were searched for articles in English, published between 1975-2015. Two independent reviewers screened the resulting list and categorized the metrics in three domains of injury prevention: Education, Environment and Enforcement. Of 174 acquired articles meeting the inclusion criteria, 21 both described and assessed an intervention. Half were educational in nature (N=11). Commonly assessed metrics included: knowledge, perceptions, self-reported behaviours or intentions, hazardous exposures, injury claims, and injury counts. One study outlined a method for developing metrics to predict injury rates. Metrics specific to the evaluation of young worker injury prevention programs are needed, as current metrics are insufficient to predict reduced injuries following program implementation. One study, which the review brought to light, could be an appropriate model for future research to develop valid leading metrics specific to young workers, and then apply these metrics to injury prevention programs for youth.

The aetiology of acute traumatic occupational hand injuries seen at a South African state hospital

The aetiology of acute traumatic occupational hand injuries seen at a South African state hospital

Modeling of Individual and Organizational Factors Affecting Traumatic Occupational Injuries Based on the Structural Equation Modeling: A Case Study in Large Construction Industries.

BackgroundIndividual and organizational factors are the factors influencing traumatic occupational injuries.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was the short path analysis of the severity of occupational injuries based on individual and organizational factors.Materials and MethodsThe present cross-sectional analytical study was implemented on traumatic occupational injuries within a ten-year timeframe in 13 large Iranian construction industries. Modeling and data analysis were done using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach and the IBM SPSS AMOS statistical software version 22.0, respectively.ResultsThe mean age and working experience of the injured workers were 28.03 ± 5.33 and 4.53 ± 3.82 years, respectively. The portions of construction and installation activities of traumatic occupational injuries were 64.4% and 18.1%, respectively. The SEM findings showed that the individual, organizational and accident type factors significantly were considered as effective factors on occupational injuries’ severity (P < 0.05).ConclusionsPath analysis of occupational injuries based on the SEM reveals that individual and organizational factors and their indicator variables are very influential on the severity of traumatic occupational injuries. So, these should be considered to reduce occupational accidents’ severity in large construction industries.

Reported traumatic injuries among West Coast Dungeness crab fishermen, 2002-2014.

Commercial fishing is a high-risk occupation. The West Coast Dungeness crab fishery has a high fatality rate; however, nonfatal injuries have not been previously studied. The purpose of this report was to describe the characteristics of fatal and nonfatal traumatic occupational injuries and associated hazards in this fleet during 2002-2014. Data on fatal injuries were obtained from a surveillance system managed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Data on nonfatal injuries were manually abstracted from Coast Guard investigation reports and entered into a study database. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise demographics, injury characteristics, and work processes performed. Twenty-eight fatal and 45 nonfatal injuries were reported between 2002 and 2014 in the Dungeness crab fleet. Most fatalities were due to vessel disasters, and many nonfatal injuries occurred on-deck when fishermen were working with gear, particularly when hauling the gear (47%). The most frequently reported injuries affected the upper extremities (48%), and fractures were the most commonly reported injury type (40%). The overall fatality rate during this time period was 209 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers and the rate of nonfatal injury was 3.4 per 1,000 full-time equivalent workers. Dungeness crab fishermen are at relatively high risk for fatal injuries. Nonfatal injuries were limited to reported information, which hampers efforts to accurately estimate nonfatal injury risk and understand fishing hazards. Further research is needed to identify work tasks and other hazards that cause nonfatal injuries in this fleet. Engaging fishermen directly may help develop approaches for injury prevention.

Work-related motor vehicle injuries among workers at a banking institution (2007-2013)

To study physical harm caused by road accidents (LATT in Spanish) among employees of a Spanish financial institution from 2007 to 2013. Additionally, we tried to define damage features in each sex and at different ages in hurt patients, as well as work disability caused by this type of injury. Cross-sectional study of labor injuries verified by the occupational medical service of the bank. Absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies related to interesting variables were described. Chi-square test was used to assess correlation. Along the mentioned period of time, 1.517 traumatic occupational injuries were recorded on a population of 14.541 workers. 27% of them were LATT. 1,3% of these were fatal or seriously harmful, significantly associated to sex and age (p < 0,05). Co-driver damage, LATT in itinere and twist or sprain were more common in women. LATT at work and closed fractures were more frequent in men.Work disability caused by LATT was higher than other traumatic occupational injuries. LATT in the studied sample were almost three times higher than LATT are among general Spanish population, but serious lesions in our group were less common.We observed differences in LATT distribution by sexes and ages in workers included in this study, and also a higher incidence of work disability compared to the whole traumatic occupational injuries. Public health and occupational health authorities must find efficient strategies in order to diminish the incidence of these LATT-associated injuries.

National Machine Guarding Program: Part 1. Machine safeguarding practices in small metal fabrication businesses.

BackgroundMetal fabrication workers experience high rates of traumatic occupational injuries. Machine operators in particular face high risks, often stemming from the absence or improper use of machine safeguarding or the failure to implement lockout procedures.MethodsThe National Machine Guarding Program (NMGP) was a translational research initiative implemented in conjunction with two workers' compensation insures. Insurance safety consultants trained in machine guarding used standardized checklists to conduct a baseline inspection of machine‐related hazards in 221 business.ResultsSafeguards at the point of operation were missing or inadequate on 33% of machines. Safeguards for other mechanical hazards were missing on 28% of machines. Older machines were both widely used and less likely than newer machines to be properly guarded. Lockout/tagout procedures were posted at only 9% of machine workstations.ConclusionsThe NMGP demonstrates a need for improvement in many aspects of machine safety and lockout in small metal fabrication businesses. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:1174–1183, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spatial clustering of occupational injuries in communities.

Using the social-ecological model, we hypothesized that the home residences of injured workers would be clustered predictably and geographically. We linked health care and publicly available datasets by home zip code for traumatically injured workers in Illinois from 2000 to 2009. We calculated numbers and rates of injuries, determined the spatial relationships, and developed 3 models. Among the 23 200 occupational injuries, 80% of cases were located in 20% of zip codes and clustered in 10 locations. After component analysis, numbers and clusters of injuries correlated directly with immigrants; injury rates inversely correlated with urban poverty. Traumatic occupational injuries were clustered spatially by home location of the affected workers and in a predictable way. This put an inequitable burden on communities and provided evidence for the possible value of community-based interventions for prevention of occupational injuries. Work should be included in health disparities research. Stakeholders should determine whether and how to intervene at the community level to prevent occupational injuries.

Obesity and the risk for occupational injuries: A literature review

Obesity has been associated with the increased risk of acquiring adverse health conditions and often overlooked is the direct influence that obesity has on physical limitations, fatigue and the risk for occupational injuries. The purpose of this review study was to examine the literature on the impact that obesity has as a risk factor for occupational injury to identify the associations between Body Mass Index (BMI) categories and non-fatal traumatic occupational injuries. Peer-reviewed literature was searched for studies on the risk of overweight and obesity on non-fatal traumatic occupational injuries. The initial literature search was conducted using electronic databases and the systematic search strategy yielded 308 articles. Eleven studies that investigated Body Mass Index (BMI) as a risk factor for occupational injury were further examined. Although there was diversity among the industries represented in these studies, there appears to be a strong association between obesity and risk for occupational injury such as fall-related injuries, lower extremity injuries, and sprains, strains & dislocations. The findings indicated that obese persons are significantly more likely to have had an occupational injury than their normal weight counterparts. Research also showed that the increased costs associated with occupational injuries, workers’ compensation claims and obesity. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of obesity related injuries and how obesity interacts with other occupational hazards.

Evaluation of occupational traumatic injuries in rural sectors of turkey

AIM: Traumatic injuries related to agricultural production can lead to serious disability and even mortality. Inappropriate use of farm machinery increases the risk for accidents. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of pat-patmachine- related work injuries cases treated at the emergency department and to assess injury severity and hospital admissions in the West Black Sea Region of Turkey. METHODS: All cases related to injuries caused by work with a pat between June 2003 and June 2010 were included. Information was collected concerning the demographic features of patients, and injury sites, injury types, initial injury severity scores at admission, and clinical features were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-nine (73.6%) of the cases were male and 14 (26.4%) were female. The ages of the cases were 5-76 years with a mean age of 38.8 ± 18.3 years. Approximately 19% of the cases were considered slight injuries, 30.2% moderate, and 50.9% severe. In terms of age, a plurality of injuries 24 (45.3 %) occurred among those aged 19-45. The Glasgow Outcome Scale score for 37 patients was five; it was four for 14 patients, and it was three for two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the pat-pat is one of the most dangerous agricultural machines, particularly for adults. In rural areas of Turkey, agricultural machines cause serious injuries that require hospitalization. KEYWORDS: Agricultural machine, Injury, Pat-pat machine Language: en

Work-related hand injuries treated at a tertiary care hospital.

The hands are known to be the most commonly injured body parts in traumatic occupational injuries. They can be disabling, leading to major adverse social and economic consequences for the worker and for his or her family. The aim of the study was to describe work-related hand injuries and their potential risk factors and also investigate lines of management in relation to the type of injury. Patients who presented to the emergency room of a tertiary hospital over a 6-month period with occupational hand injuries were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire. It included questions pertaining to the sociodemographic, occupational, and medical aspects related to the injury. A total of 163 patients were interviewed. More than 50% had injuries from cuts. Almost 60% of work-related hand injuries occurred in the absence of machines. The most common causes of hand injuries mentioned by workers were lack of concentration (68.7%), wearing no or ill-fitting gloves (63.2%), and a defect in the work place (51.5%). On examination, fingers were the most affected site (66.7%). About half of the cases were managed in the emergency room, 28.8% were managed with minor procedures, and 21.9% were managed with major procedures. Work-related hand injuries have multifactorial causes; lack of concentration was the most common in this study. Injuries from cuts were the most common and fingers were the most affected part. Modifications of the possible risk factors may reduce the incidence of acute hand injury at work.

Individual-level and plant-level predictors of acute, traumatic occupational injuries in a manufacturing cohort

ObjectivesWorkplace and contextual factors that may affect risk for worker injury are not well described. This study used results from an employee job satisfaction survey to construct aggregate indicators of...

Work‐related traumatic injuries onboard freezer‐trawlers and freezer‐longliners operating in Alaskan waters during 2001–2012

Workers onboard freezer-trawl (FT) and freezer-longline (FL) vessels in Alaska may be at high risk for fatal and non-fatal injuries. Traumatic occupational injuries onboard vessels in the FT and FL fleets were identified through two government data sources. The annual risk of fatal injuries was 125 per 100,000 FTEs in the FT fleet, and 63 per 100,000 FTEs in the FL fleet. The annual risk of non-fatal injuries was 43 per 1,000 FTEs in the FT fleet and 35 per 1,000 FTEs in the FL fleet. The majority of injuries in the FT fleet occurred in the factories and freezer holds, whereas the most common injuries in the FL fleet occurred on deck while working the fishing gear. The findings confirmed that workers in those fleets were at high risk for work-related injuries. Injury prevention should focus on removing hazards in the work processes injuring the most workers.

A Comparison Study of Traumatic Occupational Injury Burden by Departments in an Industrial Establishment in South-South Nigeria

Objective: This study aimed to compare traumatic occupational injury burden by departments in an industrial establishment in the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria. Materials and methods: This was a 12-month descriptive longitudinal study of traumatic occupational injuries among workers in all the Departments of a paper-producing company in Nigeria. All workers traumatically injured at work were coded and enlisted into the study with their workers’ identification numbers. Data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for windows version 16.0. Regressional statistics was used to compare categorical variables while descriptive statistics were used to summarize other variables. Results: The results show that the specific incidence rates for the two departments that were most injury-prone: Mechanical Engineering and Logging Departments were 77.4 traumatic injuries/1000 workers and 214.3 traumatic injuries/1,000 workers, with proportions of 3.8% and 5.7% involvement of the workers in the affected departments respectively, for severe injuries. The burden of injury in Logging department was statistically significant over that in Mechanical Engineering Department for all the traumatically injured (p<0.05). Conclusion: Regular training of workers on the job regarding safety measures in general is recommended along with the use of ergonomic-oriented enhancements nationally, to forestall the occurrence of avoidable accidents. The opening of a National Occupational Injury Register in Nigeria is also recommended to keep track and stem the occurrences of injuries in workplaces. Currently, the services of Family Physicians in the face of critically few Occupational Health Physicians remain invaluable in industrial settings in the country.