Fatal occupational injuries in Jordan during the period 1980 through 1993

All fatal occupational injuries compensated by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) in Jordan during the period 1980–1993 were studied. Variables considered in the analysis included gender, age, nationality, occupation, salary, cause of injury, body part injured and cause of death. The overall fatality rate, of the 705 cases reviewed, was 25.5/100,000/year. The majority (98%) of fatalities were males. The risk of fatal injuries increased with age. Workers over 55 years, had the highest annual fatality rate (37.8). Immigrant workers had a higher fatality rate (32.26) than Jordanians (23.95). Unskilled workers constituted 58.3% of decedents and professionals had the highest fatality rate (52.9). Transportation sector had the highest fatality rate (122.4) followed by construction (50.6). Over the study period, fatality rates tended to decrease significantly in manufacturing, construction and trade economic sectors while no such trend was established by transportation, agriculture and services sectors. The leading causes of fatal injuries were motor-vehicle related accidents (63.0%) and fall of persons (11.1%). Head was the body part most injured and was involved in 46.6% of all deaths. Haemorrhage was the main reported cause of death (24.5%). It is concluded that intervention measures targeting specific occupations (transportation and construction) and causes of fatalities such as motor-vehicle incidents are needed.     

Characterization of fatal occupational versus nonoccupational motor vehicle collisions in Kentucky (1998-2000)

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the leading cause of occupational fatalities in Kentucky as well as in the nation. The characteristics of and contributing factors for occupational versus nonoccupational MVC fatalities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky were examined from 1998 to 2000. Semi trucks were most frequently involved in fatal occupational MVCs, and passenger cars were most frequently involved in nonoccupational MVCs. More than half of the decedent drivers resided outside of Kentucky. The percentage of occupational fatalities occurring on a four-lane highway was double the percentage observed for nonoccupational MVC fatalities. In addition, an increased proportion of occupational MVC deaths occurred on limited access highways compared to nonoccupational fatalities. When human factors contributing to these fatal incidents were examined, the two primary human factors involved in occupational motor vehicle fatalities were driver distraction/inattention and falling asleep, whereas unsafe speed and alcohol were the primary human factors contributing to a nonoccupational fatality. These results suggest that semi drivers traveling on four-lane highways are more at risk for a fatal occupational injury in Kentucky. Therefore, additional epidemiological studies are needed to further examine human factors, the nature of the Kentucky highway system, and trucking controls (e.g., weigh station hours of operation) within the Kentucky transportation industry.     

Worker safety and injury severity analysis of earthmoving equipment accidents

Introduction: Research on construction worker safety associated with construction equipment has mostly focused on accident type rather than injury severity and the embedded factor relationships. Significant variables and their effects on the degree of injury are examined for earthmoving equipment using data from OSHA. Four types of equipment, backhoe, bulldozer, excavator, and scraper are included in the study. Accidents involving on-foot workers and equipment operators are investigated collectively, as well as separately. Methods: Cross tabulation analysis was conducted to establish the associations between selected categorical variables, using degree of injury as a dichotomous dependent variable (fatal vs. nonfatal) and a number of independent variables having different values. Odds ratios were calculated to determine how much a certain variable/factor increases the odds of fatality in an accident, and the odds ratios were ranked to determine the relative impact of a given factor. Results: It was found that twelve variables were significantly associated with injury severity. Rankings based on odds ratios showed that inadequate safety training (2.54), missing equipment protective system (2.38), being a non-union worker (2.26), being an equipment operator (1.93), and being on or around inadequately maintained equipment (1.58) produced higher odds for fatality. Conclusion: A majority of the earthmoving equipment accidents resulted in fatality. Backhoes were the most common equipment involved in accidents and fatalities. Struck-by accidents were the most prevalent and most fatal. Non-OSHA compliant safety training, missing seatbelt, operator not using seatbelt, malfunctioning back-up alarms, and poorly maintained equipment were factors contributing to accidents and fatalities. On-foot workers experienced a higher number of accidents than operators, while fatality odds were higher for the operators. Practical applications: Safety professionals should benefit from our findings in planning and delivering training and providing oversight to workers in earthmoving equipment operations.     

Trends and causes of fatalities in South African mines

Leger, J.-P., 1991. Trends and causes of fatalities in South African mines. Safety Science, 14: 169–185.The trends and principal causes of occupational fatalities and disasters (defined as six or more fatalities in one incident) in the South African mining industry are analysed. A miner who spends twenty years working underground faces a one in thirty chance of dying in an occupational accident. The gold mine fatality rate has improved only 33% since 1945, whereas in the coal mines it has declined substantially. Fatality rates in the diamond mines remain at levels similar to those of the 1920s. In other mineral mines the rate has increased since the 1930s. The most important cause of fatalities are falls of ground. In gold mines, rockbursts increase the fatality rate to three times the average at depths below 3000 m. Disasters remain a significant contributor to total fatalities, more disasters having occurred in the 1980s than in any other decade this century. In comparison with the accident experience of the United States, New South Wales, West Germany, India and Britain, countries with substantial coal mining industries, the South African underground colliery fatality rate is worse by factors ranging from two to eight times. Recommendations to ameliorate the high rate of fatalities include publication of improved accident statistics; elucidation of the relationship between injury rates and depth; identification of high risk occupations; special attention to be paid to the poor improvements in fatality rate trends for gold, diamond and other mineral mines; the establishment of an independent (government) deep level mining research institute; and more thorough investigations into disasters and analyses of disaster trends.     

Occupational electrical injuries in the United States, 1992-1998, and recommendations for safety research

PROBLEM: CFOI and SOII data show that 2,287 U.S. workers died and 32,807 workers sustained days away from work due to electrical shock or electrical burn injuries between 1992 and 1998. METHOD: The narrative, work activity, job title, source of injury, location, and industry for each fatal electrical accident were examined. A primary causal factor was identified for each fatality. RESULTS: Electrical fatalities were categorized into five major groups. Overall, 44% of electrical fatalities occurred in the construction industry. Contact with overhead power lines caused 41% of all electrical fatalities. DISCUSSION: Electrical shock caused 99% of fatal and 62% of nonfatal electrical accidents. Comprising about 7% of the U.S. workforce, construction workers sustain 44% of electrical fatalities. Power line contact by mobile equipment occurs in many industries and should be the subject of focused research. Other problem areas are identified and opportunities for research are proposed. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Improvements in electrical safety in one industry often have application in other industries.     

Impact of human development on safety consciousness in construction

The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that the risk of fatal occupational injuries in developing countries is almost twice as high as in developed countries, indicating a potential relationship between the fatality rates and the development level. The human development index (HDI), based on life expectancy, knowledge level and purchasing power parity, endorsed by the United Nations Development Programme, is a widely accepted measure of the development level. This study investigates the relationship between the HDI and the fatality rates reported by the ILO. A 23-country data set is used to demonstrate the general trend of the relationship followed by country-specific analyses for Australia, Spain, Hungary and Turkey. The study conducted is limited to fatal occupational injuries in construction, where the accidents are notoriously high. The results demonstrate a statistically significant inverse relationship between the fatality rates and the HDI.     

Traumatic work-related fatalities in forestry and sawmill workers in Australia

Work-related traumatic forestry and sawmill fatalities were studied as part of a larger study of all work-related traumatic fatalities in Australia from 1982 to 1984. Data on 79 cases were obtained from inspection of coroners' files. The fatality incidence per 100,000 person-years was extremely high for loggers (396), and high for forest service workers (52) and workers employed in sawmills (30), compared to the entire Australian workforce (8.1). Felling/trimming trees, traffic-related activities and operating heavy machinery (forestry workers) and loading/unloading logs and operating bench saws (sawmill workers) were the most common tasks being performed at the time of the fatal injury. Being struck by a falling tree, often one that had been disturbed by the tree being felled, was the most common mechanism of fatal injury. Isolation, poor work practice, errors of judgement, and equipment problems were the most common contributing factors to the fatal incidents. Emphasis on correct work practice and training (especially in felling), equipment maintenance, and availability of communication and medical retrieval in isolated areas are recommended.     

The relationship of beer consumption and state alcohol and motor vehicle policies to fatal accidents

Fatal accident data from 50 states and the District of Columbia were examined in order to determine the relationship between alcohol availability and fatal motor vehicle accidents. This relationship was analyzed for both fatal accidents and motor vehicle fatalities (potentially more than one per accident) using multiple regression. The independent variables were: (1) driving age (percent of drivers under 21); (2) beverage purchase age; (3) average beer consumption; (4) number of outlets per million population selling alcohol for on-premise consumption; (5) percentage of metropolitan residents; (6) percentage of male drivers; and (7) mileage per driver per year. It was found that the regression analyses for fatal accidents and for fatalities were highly similar. Driving age was the strongest predictor of highway mortality. On-premise availability of alcohol was significantly and inversely associated with motor vehicle fatalities. This suggests that when on-premise outlets are fewer and more geographically spread out, the chances of drinking and driving are greater. Finally, average beer consumption was significantly and positively associated with highway fatalities perhaps because many drivers consider it a “soft” alcoholic beverage that will not impair their ability to drive.     

Occupational injuries and sick leaves in household moving works

Background. This study is concerned with household moving works and the characteristics of occupational injuries and sick leaves in each step of the moving process. Methods. Accident data for 392 occupational accidents were categorized by the moving processes in which the accidents occurred, and possible incidents and sick leaves were assessed for each moving process and hazard factor. Results. Accidents occurring during specific moving processes showed different characteristics depending on the type of accident and agency of accidents. The most critical form in the level of risk management was falls from a height in the ‘lifting by ladder truck’ process. Incidents ranked as a ‘High’ level of risk management were in the forms of slips, being struck by objects and musculoskeletal disorders in the ‘manual materials handling’ process. Also, falls in ‘loading/unloading’, being struck by objects during ‘lifting by ladder truck’ and driving accidents in the process of ‘transport’ were ranked ‘High’. Conclusion. The findings of this study can be used to develop more effective accident prevention policy reflecting different circumstances and conditions to reduce occupational accidents in household moving works.     

Visibility-related fatalities related to construction equipment

The construction industry annually experiences one of the highest fatality rates among the industrial sectors in the United States. The factors that contribute to this reputation include the nature of the work, human behavior, the tools and equipment involved, and also the compact work zones. Industrial fatalities are investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While OSHA groups the causes of fatalities into a few general categories, too little information is gleaned to effectively target specific problem areas.To improve safety performance in the construction industry, it is necessary to understand the underlying causes of accidents. With targeted analysis, patterns emerge and causal factors can be identified. These findings may then be used to form the basis for recommendations that will help to improve construction worker safety. Little research has been conducted in this area.Research was conducted that isolated fatalities in which vision or lack of good visibility was the principle factor or contributing cause. The objective of examining the details surrounding these fatalities was to uncover the contributing factors and to identify the agents that compromised visibility. The study identified 659 fatality accidents from a data pool of 13511 OSHA-investigated cases. It was discovered that blind spots, obstructions and lighting conditions were the most common factors contributing to vision-related fatalities. This research also analyzed the specific conditions associated with particular pieces of construction equipment.     

Global trend according to estimated number of occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases at region and country level

Background

Although occupational accidents and work-related diseases have been of interest for a long time, due to lack of proper recording and notification systems the official numbers of occupational accidents and work-related diseases are missing for many countries. Presently, the demand for effectiveness and an interest in the economic aspects of accidents have increased prevention activities at company and country levels.

Methods

Occupational accident data of selected countries and of World Health Organization regional divisions together with the global burden of disease were used in estimating global occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases. The trend of global occupational accidents and work-related diseases is presented at region and country levels. The years 1998, 2001, and 2003 are compared in the case of occupational accidents and the years 2000 and 2002 in the case of work-related diseases.

Results

The total number of occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases has increased, but the fatality rates per 100,000 workers have decreased. There were almost 360,000 fatal occupational accidents in 2003 and almost 2 million fatal work-related diseases in 2002. Every day more than 960,000 workers get hurt because of accidents. Each day 5,330 people die because of work-related diseases.

Conclusions

Information on occupational accidents and work-related diseases is needed so that countries may understand better the importance of occupational health and safety at country and company level. Especially companies in developing countries are not familiar with occupational safety and health. Statistical data is essential for accident prevention; it is a starting point for the safety work.     

Investigating traffic fatality trends and restraint use among rear-seat passengers in the United States, 2000–2016

Introduction: Motor-vehicle crash is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States. Previous studies focused on fatalities among drivers and front-seat passengers, with a limited number of studies examining rear-seat passenger fatalities. The objectives of this study were to assess trends in rear-seat passenger motor-vehicle fatalities in the United States from 2000 to 2016 and to identify demographic factors associated with being unrestrained among fatally injured rear-seat passengers. Methods: Rear-seat passenger fatality data were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database. The fatality rate ratios for overall rear-seat passengers and for different age and sex groups were determined by comparing fatality rates in 2000 and 2016 using random effects models. Risk ratios of being unrestrained for age and sex groups were obtained using general estimating equations. Results: Compared to 2000, the overall rear-seat passenger fatality rate in 2016 decreased by 44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 39–49%). In particular, the fatality rate among rear-seat passengers decreased more in males than females, and passengers aged 14–19 years experienced a larger decline than all other age groups. Fatally injured male rear-seat passengers had a higher risk of being unrestrained (adjusted risk ratio: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04–1.07) than their female counterparts, and both youngest (≤13 years) and oldest (65–85 years) passengers were less likely to be unrestrained than those aged 20–64 years. Conclusions: Overall, fatality rates among rear-seat passengers have declined, with differential degrees of improvement by age and sex. Practical Applications: Continued restraint use enforcement campaigns targeted at teenagers and males would further preserve them from fatal injuries and improve traffic safety for the overall population.     

造船厂职业病危害因素识别与分析

尽管采用了新型的造船模式,而且在我国的现代化造船厂中得到了广泛的应用,但是造船企业的职业病危害问题并没有得到根本性的解决;那么,如何有效控制造船行业职业病的发生,就成了所有造船企业面临的一个共同难题。本文通过识别某造船厂存在的主要职业病危害因素,检测危害因素的浓度或强度,并结合现场调查结果,分析造船企业工作场所中相关的危害因素超标原因,确定超标作业点,也就明确了造船企业职业病危害关键因素和严重危害区域,达到根据作业特点、场所、工种的不同,有针对性地采取职业病危害工程技术和个体防护措施的目的,为帮助造船企业在日常生产中进一步做好职业病危害因素的防控工作具有现实意义。     

Road traffic accident severity analysis: A census-based study in China

Background: In China, despite the decrease in average road traffic fatalities per capita, the fatality rate and injury rate have been increasing until 2015. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the road traffic accident severity in China from a macro viewpoint and various aspects and illuminate several key causal factors. From these analyses, we propose possible countermeasures to reduce accident severity. Method: The severity of traffic accidents is measured by human damage (HD) and case fatality rate (CFR). Different categorizations of national road traffic census data are analyzed to evaluate the severity of different types of accidents and further to demonstrate the key factors that contribute to the increase in accident severity. Regional data from selected major municipalities and provinces are also compared with national traffic census data to verify data consistency. Results: From 2000 to 2016, the overall CFR and HD of road accidents in China have increased by 19.0% and 63.7%, respectively. In 2016, CFR of freight vehicles is 33.5% higher than average; late-night accidents are more fatal than those that occur at other periods. The speeding issue is severely becoming worse. In 2000, its CFR is only 5.3% higher than average, while in 2016, the number is 42.0%. Conclusion and practical implementation: A growing trend of accident severity was found to be contrasting to the decline of road traffic accidents. From the analysis of casual factors, it was confirmed that the release way of the impact energy and the protection worn by the victims are key variables contributing to the severity of road traffic accidents.     

中国安全生产大趋势已进入拐点——生产安全事故宏观预警与发展态势分析

为认清我国安全生产形势现状与发展趋势，作者应用比较研究和预测分析方法，回顾总结了我国生产安全事故历史演变特点，对事故死亡人数、十万死亡率和重大事故发生频率等安全生产指标作了近中期预测模拟分析；结合我国经济社会发展现状，提出了中国安全生产大趋势已进入拐点的判断，并建议在新的历史机遇面前，对安全生产监管模式做重大调整，推进安全生产形势根本性好转，实现安全发展。     

我国南方某省1988～1992年工伤调查分析

通过对南方某省１９８８～１９９２年工伤发生情况的调查，五年间工伤事故数、工伤死亡率及重伤率有逐年增加的趋势，煤炭、交通、建筑三个行业的工伤死亡人数约占工伤死亡总数的５０％；县以下乡镇企业中的工伤事故数、死亡率及重伤率均居首位。工伤事故中造成死亡的原因主要集中在物体打击、触电、高空坠落；引起重伤的原因集中在机械伤害、物体打击、车辆伤害和高空坠落。因此在劳动安全卫生管理工作上，要采取一些强有力的干预措施，特别要加强对乡镇工业企业及那些易发生工伤事故企业的管理。     

Differences in relative risks for fatal occupational highway transportation accidents

Problem and Method: This study examined the trends in the relative risks for being involved in fatal occupational highway transportation accidents based upon the age and gender of the victim. Results: Significant differences in relative risks were identified based upon age; however, there were no significant differences in relative risks based upon gender. The trend analysis of relative risks for all motor-vehicle accidents based upon age showed that males exhibited a significant cubic trend while females exhibited a significant linear trend. The trend analysis of relative risks for fatal motor-vehicle accidents specifically involving vehicle operators based upon age yielded a significant quadratic trend for males and no significant trends for females. Examining the relative risks for fatalities involving only motor-vehicle operators controlled, to a certain extent, the differences in job exposure to motor-vehicle accidents based upon age. Impact: Prevention measures are identified as most crucial for older male workers in the transportation and agriculture industries.     

Surveillance of traffic incident management–related occupational fatalities in Kentucky, 2005–2016

Objective: Traffic incidents occurring on roadways require the coordinated effort of multiple responder and recovery entities, including communications, law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, transportation agencies, and towing and recovery. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify and characterize transportation incident management (TIM)-related occupational fatalities; (2) assess concordance of surveillance data sources in identifying TIM occupations, driver vs. pedestrian status, and occupational fatality incident location; and (3) determine and compare U.S. occupational fatality rates for TIM industries.

Methods: The Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program analyzed 2005–2016 TIM occupational fatality data using multiple data sources: death certificate data, Collision Report Analysis for Safer Highways (CRASH) data, and media reports, among others. Literal text analysis was performed on FACE data, and a multiple linear regression model and SAS proc sgpanel were used to estimate and visualize the U.S. TIM occupational mortality trend lines and confidence bounds.

Results: There were 29 TIM fatalities from 2005 to 2015 in Kentucky; 41% of decedents were in the police protection occupation, and 21% each were in the fire protection and motor vehicle towing industries. Over one half of the TIM decedents were performing work activities as pedestrians when they died. Media reports identified the majority of the occupational fatalities as TIM related (28 of 29 TIM-related deaths); the use of death certificates as the sole surveillance data source only identified 17 of the 29 deaths as TIM related, and the use of CRASH data only identified 4 of the 29 deaths as TIM related. Injury scenario text analysis showed that law enforcement vehicle pursuit, towing and recovery vehicle loading, and disabled vehicle response were particular high-risk activities that led to TIM deaths. Using U.S. data, the motor vehicle towing industry had a significantly higher risk for occupational mortality compared to the fire protection and police protection industries.

Conclusions: Multiple data sources are needed to comprehensively identify TIM fatalities and to examine the circumstances surrounding TIM fatalities, because no one data source in itself was adequate and undercounted the total number of TIM fatalities. The motor vehicle towing industry, in particular, is at elevated risk for occupational mortality, and targeted mandatory TIM training for the motor vehicle towing industry should be considered. In addition, enhanced law enforcement roadside safety training during vehicle pursuit and apprehension of suspects is recommended.     

Global estimates of occupational accidents

Information of occupational accidents is not standardized worldwide. Especially, developing countries do not have reliable information on their occupational accidents due to lack of proper recording and notification systems. The number of accidents is under-reported but figures are still used as a baseline for occupational safety work. In this paper global estimates of occupational accidents are presented for 175 countries. These estimates are based on figures from selected countries in eight different regions. Global estimates help to compare different countries and regions to each other to detect improvements in safety and safety work. In 1998 the average estimated number of fatal occupational accidents was 350 000 and there were 264 million non-fatal accidents. Global estimates are needed to guide national policies and decision-making.