Consumer product-related eye injury in the United States, 1998-2002

PROBLEM: Eye injury is currently a leading cause of visual impairment and monocular blindness in the United States. Information regarding consumer products associated with eye injuries can have important implications for the prevention of these injuries. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was used to describe the types of consumer products associated with emergency department treated eye injuries in the United States from 1998 through 2002. RESULTS: The leading product type associated with eye injuries was welding equipment followed by household cleaners, basketball equipment, workshop equipment, and adhesives. Eye injuries attributed to hardware, tools, construction, sports, toys, and lawn equipment were more common among males. In females, eye injuries attributable to chemicals, housewares, storage and organization, and bed and bath items were more common. Differences were also apparent across the age spectrum. CONCLUSION: This study identified specific products and categories of products frequently associated with eye injury and prevention initiatives should focus on these items. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This study has identified consumer products associated with eye injuries requiring medical treatment in the United States. Manufacturers of these products could be encouraged to add or strengthen safety messages regarding the potential for eye injury.     

Household youth on minority operated farms in the United States, 2000: exposures to and injuries from work, horses, ATVs and tractors

INTRODUCTION: It is likely that youth living on minority operated farms (<3% of U.S. farms) face hazards similar to the general farm population; however, since minority youth are not well represented by general farm surveys, this information hasn't been confirmed. METHOD: Nonfatal injury and exposure data were obtained from the 2000 Minority Farm Operator Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (M-CAIS). RESULTS: On racial minority farms, there were an estimated 28,600 household youth. Of these, about 41% worked, 26% rode a horse, 23% drove an ATV, and 23% operated a tractor. On Hispanic farms, there were an estimated 17,998 household youth. Of these, 44% worked, 30% rode a horse, 27% drove an ATV, and 25% operated a tractor. CONCLUSIONS: These results show the value of conducting a survey of minorities to identify high risk groups and target issues that may be unique to the minority farm population.     

Work-related deaths in Washington State, 1998-2002

INTRODUCTION: In Washington State, 87 workers are killed each year, on average, while in work status. To understand these incidents and to assist in focusing on and development of potential prevention measures, they must be well characterized. METHODS: Work-related fatalities between the years 1998 and 2002 are described by the demographics of the victims, types of incidents, the victims' occupations, and industries and location in which they worked. RESULTS: Motor vehicle- and machinery-related incidents accounted for nearly 33% and 14% of the incidents, respectively. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining (n=87), and construction (n=83) had the most fatalities. Fatality rates per 100,000 workers for these industries were 25.7 and 8.7, respectively, compared to the state-wide average of 3.1 fatalities/100,000 workers. DISCUSSION: These data indicate numerous areas for prevention of work-related traumatic injuries and fatalities.     

A research agenda for increasing safety belt use in the United States

On November 13-14, 2003, a symposium on high-visibility safety belt use enforcement in Raleigh, NC: (a) celebrated the 10th anniversary of North Carolina's Click It or Ticket program; (b) documented current knowledge regarding safety belt use; (c) proposed strategies to increase use further; and (d) discussed research to support these strategies.     

Seat Belt Use in States and Territories with Primary and Secondary Laws -- United States, 2006

Problem

Motor-vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. In the event of a crash, seat belts are highly effective in preventing serious injury and death.

Methods

Data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to calculate prevalence of seat belt use by state and territory and by type of state seat belt law (primary vs. secondary enforcement).

Results

In 2006, seat belt use among adults ranged from 58.3% to 91.9% in the states and territories. Seat belt use was 86.0% in states and territories with primary enforcement laws and 75.9% in states with secondary enforcement laws.

Discussion

Seat belt use continues to increase in the United States. Primary enforcement laws remain a more effective strategy than secondary enforcement laws in getting motor-vehicle occupants to wear their seat belts.     

The epidemiology of lawn trimmer injuries in the United States: 2000-2009

IntroductionYard maintenance equipment is potentially dangerous, and some of the more frequency used equipment (e.g., lawn mowers) has been extensively studied. However, the extent of lawn trimmers as a source of injury has not previously been explored.MethodsData from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were used to estimate the number of patients treated in U.S. emergency departments for lawn trimmer-related injuries. Injury rates were calculated according to age, sex, and race, and characteristics of the injury event were determined.ResultsAn estimated 81,907 injuries involving a lawn trimmer occurred from 2000–2009. The incidence generally increased over time. Men, people aged 40–49, and Caucasians were the groups most likely to be injured. The most commonly injured body part was the head, specifically the eye, accounting for 42.5% of the injuries. Contusions and abrasions were the most common type of injury to the head, but lacerations were the most common injury to the extremities, and strains/sprains were the most common injury to the trunk.DiscussionAlthough previous research on lawn trimmers has focused exclusively on injuries to the eyes, the results of the current study show that such injuries are one component of the problem. Because most of the injuries were due to foreign objects, it is important that the use of adequate safety gear be emphasized when operating lawn trimmers.Impact on IndustryResults suggest that lawn trimmer design changes and better safety education for trimmer use can reduce the rate of injury and reverse the current trend.     

Work-related fatal injuries in parking lots, 1993-2002

PROBLEM: Although parking facilities are a common feature of the landscape in the United States, little is known about their safety. METHOD: A dataset of parking lot fatalities for 1993-2002, created from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury (CFOI) research file, was analyzed. RESULTS: The most common events in parking lots were contact with objects (15%), pedestrian fatalities (13%), homicides (36%), and suicides (11%). The perpetrators of parking lot fatalities, compared to all workplace homicides, were more likely to be known to the victim. CONCLUSION: The 206 work-related fatalities per year in parking lots present challenges to the safety community. Although much of the risk results from the usage of motor vehicles, violent acts are even more prominent. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Because homicides are most prevalent in parking lots, both administrative and environmental measures may lower the risk of homicide. Although difficult to assess, various elements of the design of parking facilities may have an influence on the occurrence of injuries.     

CDC's research portfolio in older adult fall prevention: a review of progress, 1985-2005, and future research directions

PROBLEM: Falls are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among adults age 65 and older. Population models predict steep increases in the 65 and older population bands in the next 10-15 years and in turn, public health is bracing for increased fall rates and the strain they place on health care systems and society. To assess progress in fall prevention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a research portfolio review to examine the quality, relevance, outcomes and successes of the CDC fall prevention program and its impact on public health. METHODS: A peer review panel was charged with reviewing 20 years of funded research and conducting a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for extramural and intramural research activities. Information was collected from grantees (via a survey instrument), staff were interviewed, and progress reports and products were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: CDC has invested over $24,900,000 in fall-related research and programs over 20 years. The portfolio has had positive impacts on research, policies and programs, increasing the public health injury prevention workforce, and delivering effective fall prevention programs. DISCUSSION: Public health agencies, practitioners, and policy makers recognize that while there are some evidence-based older adult fall prevention interventions available, many remain unused or are infeasible to implement. Specific recommendations across the public health model, include: additional research in gathering robust epidemiologic data on trends and patterns of fall-related injuries at all levels; researching risk factors by setting or sub-population; developing and testing innovative interventions; and engaging in translation and dissemination research on best practices to increase uptake and adoption of fall prevention strategies. CDC has responded to a number of suggestions from the portfolio review including: funding translation research of a proven Tai Chi fall intervention; beginning to address gaps in gender, ethnic, and racial differences in falls; and collaborating with partner organizations who share in CDC's mission to improve public health by preventing falls and reducing fall-related injuries. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Industry has an opportunity to develop more accessible and usable devices to reduce injury from falls (for example, hip protectors and force reducing flooring). By implementing effective, evidence-based interventions to prevent falls and reduce injuries from falls, significant decreases in health care costs can be expected.     

Pedestrian fatalities, Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area and United States, 2000-2004

Motor vehicle crashes killed almost 5,000 pedestrians in 2005 in the United States. Pedestrian risk may be higher in areas characterized by urban sprawl. From 2000 to 2004, pedestrian fatality rates declined in the United States, but the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area did not experience the same decline. Pedestrian fatality rates for males, Hispanics, and the 15–34 and 35–54 year age groups were higher in Atlanta than in the United States overall. Pedestrian safety interventions should be targeted to high-risk populations and localized pedestrian settings.     

美国航空运输安全监管体系发展研究

为了提高我国航空运输安全水平,政府安全监管体系需要进一步完善,研究美国航空运输安全监管体系的发展规律及经验可为我国提供有益借鉴.着重对美国监管机构变化、监管方法变化、监管手段变化与事故率变化之间的关系加以研究,分析得出发生在美国历史上的特定的监管机构变化、监管方法变化及监管手段变化都对安全水平提高起到了明显积极作用.结果表明,以行业发展变化为驱动而发生的以实施风险管理为目的的监管机构变革、系统安全方法的应用及不断推广、更加深入广泛地利用信息技术改进监管手段,可以对安全水平的提高起到积极作用.此外,监管体系的设计还应从更高的层面考虑,将其应用于对监管当局自身安全管理能力的持续提高.     

Injuries associated with the use of riding mowers in the United States, 2002-2007

Context: To examine injuries among patients treated in an emergency department (ED) related to the use of a riding lawn mower.Design and Setting: Data were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for the years 2002-2007. National estimates of ED visits for injuries associated with the use of a riding lawn mower were analyzed. Narrative text entries were categorized to provide a detailed record of the circumstances precipitating the injury. Average annual rates were calculated and logistic regression analyses were employed to determine risk estimates for patient disposition and demographic characteristics related to ED visits for injuries associated with riding mowers.Results: From 2002 through 2007, there were an estimated 66,341 ED visits for injuries related to the use of riding lawnmowers in the U.S., with an average annual rate of 6.0 ED visits per 100,000 males, and 1.6 ED visits per 100,000 females. Older adults had higher rates of ED visits for injuries (7.2/100,000) than younger age groups. The most common injuries involved contusions (24%); sprains/strains (22%) and fractures (17%). The majority of patients (90%) were treated and released the same day. Results of logistic regression analyses revealed that older adults were more likely to be hospitalized when compared to younger age groups; and incidents involving rollovers [OR = 5.45 (95% CI = 3.22-9.23)] and being run over [6.01 (95% CI 3.23-11.17)] were more likely to result in hospitalization when compared to all other circumstances of injury.Conclusions: Riding mowers present injury patterns and circumstances that are different than those reported for push mowers. Circumstances related to injuries and age groups affected were varied, making prevention of riding mower injuries challenging. Application/Impact: Findings support the need to increase awareness and/or change the design of riding mowers with respect to risk of rollover injuries.     

The Bhopal tragedy: its influence on process and community safety as practiced in the United States

The chemical accident at 12:45 AM on December 3, 1984 in Bhopal India had a profound effect on the practice of chemical process safety in the United States. Fearing the possibility of similar events occurring in the United States, the United States Congress convened several hearings and investigations into the causes of the disaster. The inquiries focused both on the state of process safety within the US chemical industry and on the readiness of communities located near chemical operations to respond to sudden and dangerous toxic discharges. Of equal significance were concerns over the safety of workers in chemical plants. This paper reviews the major legislative, academic, and industrial changes initiated in the area of process safety after the event, their influence on saving lives, and on improving living conditions surrounding chemical complexes in the United States.     

Occupational injuries and health problems in the Egyptian Mediterranean fisheries

Marine fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations. So far, no studies addressing occupational safety and health in the Egyptian fisheries have been conducted. The objective of this study is to explore and identify the types and causes of, as well as some factors associated with, occupational accidents and illnesses in the Egyptian marine fisheries. A sample of 686 fishermen in El-Maaddiya fishing port were interviewed for collecting relevant data. This paper presents the types of injuries mentioned by the interviewed fishermen and their potential causes in terms of accident type and involved agency/agency part. Also, major health problems and potential causes are presented. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis was performed to study the significance of the association of some factors, such as age, experience, education and fishing gear with the occurrence of injuries and illnesses. The results of this study show that the Egyptian fishing industry involve many hazardous work conditions and practices that result in high morbidity and mortality rates, and high injury rates. The study recommends further research on suitable measures for the management of this problem.     

Measuring safety climate in aviation: A review and recommendations for the future

This paper reviews 23 studies that have examined safety climate within commercial and military aviation. The safety climate factors identified in the aviation safety climate questionnaires were found to be consistent with the literature examining safety climate in non-aviation high reliability organizations. Therefore, it was concluded that the aviation safety climate tools had some construct validity (the extent to which the questionnaire measures what it is intended to measure). However, the majority of the studies made no attempt to establish the discriminate validity (the ability of the tool to differentiate between organizations or personnel with different levels of safety performance) of the tools. It is recommended that rather than constructing more aviation safety climate questionnaires, researchers should focus on establishing the construct and discriminate validity of existing measures by correlating safety climate with other metrics of safety performance. It is recognized that the accident rate in commercial aviation is too low to provide a sufficiently sensitive measure of safety performance. However, there are other measures of safety performance, collected as part of a company’s Aviation Safety Action Program or Flight Operational Quality Assurance, which could be used to assess the discriminate validity of an aviation safety climate tool.     

Occupational safety conditions of bus drivers in Metro Manila,the Philippines

The study looks into the occupational safety and working conditions among bus drivers in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Quantitative data were collected through survey interviews of 95 bus drivers using the stratified sampling technique. Results showed that bus drivers worked an average of 16?h/day and were engaged in risky driving behaviors such as over-speeding and road racing in order to reach their quota for the day. Fifty-nine percent experienced work-related accidents, with a mean of three accidents. The most common accident was hitting another vehicle followed by side swipe. The accidents were blamed on other drivers, followed by vehicle defect, inattentiveness and tiredness/micro-sleep or sudden involuntary sleep while driving. The most common health symptoms experienced by the bus drivers were fatigue, back pain, and cough and colds. This study underlines the need for an occupational health and safety program for bus drivers in the Philippines.     

The contribution of traumatic brain injury to the medical and economic outcomes of motor vehicle-related injuries in Ohio

Objective

To describe traumatic brain injury (TBI) among injured roadway users. Aim 1 assessed the association of age, gender, alcohol/drug use, safety equipment use, type of roadway user, metropolitan area, and primary payer with motor vehicle-related TBI outcome. Aim 2 assessed the relationship of motor vehicle-related TBI and risk/protective factors with medical and economic outcomes.

Methods

Population-level hospital and trauma databases from the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio Department of Public Safety, respectively, were probabilistically linked for 2003 through 2006. Injured roadway users (motor vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and others) were assessed for TBI, ventilator use, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, injury severity score (ISS), need for rehabilitation, death, and total hospital charges.

Results

The odds of a motor vehicle-related TBI were greater among those not using safety equipment (OR = 1.56). The interactions of alcohol/drug use by gender and of alcohol/drug use by location were significant. Sustaining a TBI increased the odds of requiring ventilation (OR = 3.66), being admitted to the ICU (OR = 2.51), having a high ISS (OR = 4.24), requiring rehabilitation (OR = 2.22), or death (OR = 2.52). When compared with a non-TBI, total hospital charges increased by a factor of 1.35 for a TBI. Hospital charges were $46,441 on average for individuals who sustained a TBI, whereas mean hospital charges were $32,614 for patients with a non-TBI.

Conclusions

Among injured roadway users, individuals who sustain a TBI are more likely to require extensive medical care and have injuries resulting in death.

Impact on industry

Prevention strategies aimed at reducing alcohol use and increasing safety device use should be encouraged to reduce the burden of TBI.     

Dust explosion incidents and regulations in the United States

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) investigated three fatal dust explosions that all occurred in 2003. These explosions caused the deaths of 14 people and injured hundreds more. Two of the facilities were damaged beyond repair, and several hundred employees lost their jobs.

CSB's investigations revealed that the explosions had common causes, despite their geographic and industrial diversity. Consequently, CSB commissioned a study of combustible dust fire and explosion hazards. This paper presents a summary of CSB's findings and recommendations developed during that study.     

Unintentional strangulation deaths from the "choking game" among youths aged 6-19 years - United States, 1995-2007

The "choking game" is defined as self-strangulation or strangulation by another person with the hands or a noose to achieve a brief euphoric state caused by cerebral hypoxia. Participants in this activity typically are youths (Andrew & Fallon, 2007). Serious neurologic injury or death can result from engaging in this activity. Recent news media reports have described numerous deaths among youths attributed to the choking game. Because no traditional public health dataset collects data on this practice, CDC used news media reports to estimate the incidence of deaths from the choking game. This report describes the results of that analysis, which identified 82 probable choking-game deaths among youths aged 6-19 years during 1995-2007. Seventy-one (86.6%) of the decedents were male, and the mean age was 13.3 years. Parents, educators, and health-care providers should become familiar with warning signs that youths are playing the choking game (Urkin & Merrick, 2006). Impact of industry: By learning about the risk factors for and warning signs of the choking game, parents, educators, and health-care providers may be able to identify youth at risk for playing the game and prevent future deaths.