Industrial sectors with high risk of women's hospital-treated injuries

[Sick leave benefits for workers in the Brazilian meat and fish industries in 2008]

This study aims to analyze factors associated with sick leave rates among workers in the meat, fish, and seafood industries in Brazil. The study analyzed all sick leave benefits granted by the country's social security system to workers in these industries in 2008. Incidence of sick leave per 10 thousand jobs was stratified by sex, age, diagnosis, job position, State, and nature and length of benefits. The study analyzed 31,913 sick leaves, with an annual incidence of 788.7. Meat processing and packaging showed the highest incidence, and fish and seafood processing and packaging showed the longest mean length of sick leave. Women showed a higher sick leave incidence, while men received longer average sick leaves. Injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental disorders accounted for 67.2% of sick leaves. The most common diagnoses were lower back pain, first-trimester bleeding in pregnancy, and depression. The data suggest poor job protection and adverse working conditions in these industries.

[Inability to work: analysis of sickness benefits granted in the State of Rondônia]

This is a descriptive epidemiological study aiming to o estimate the prevalence and duration of sickness benefits granted by the Brazilian Social Security Institute, as well as the clinical causes of inability to work among employees in Rondonia in 2008. The prevalence was submitted by 10,000 workers and stratified by sex, age, diagnosis, economic activity, and type and duration of benefits. Men had a higher prevalence and duration of benefits. Social security benefits were found to be 2,5 times more prevalent than accident benefits and both increased with age. Labor accidents were more prevalent in the age group ranging between 50-59 years, and Forestry, construction and manpower leasing: had the highest prevalence. The main diagnostic groups were injuries, musculoskeletal system disorders and digestive diseases. The duration of the sickness benefits was higher among men, =40 years and in the social security category. The economic activity is an important risk factor for Inability to work, and it needs to be further explored in order to improve sickness prevention and reduce the impact on workers' health arising from environmental conditions and working processes.

Incidence of work and non-work related disability claims in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Sickness benefit claims are an important economic burden to society. This study aims to determine the incidence of sickness benefit claims in Brazil in 2008, exploring the role of economic activity.

METHODS

Population-based study on sickness claims lasting longer than 15 days of sickness absence granted to private sector employees. Data on gender, age, economic activity, diagnosis, and work-relatedness were collected.

RESULTS

The annual incidence of sickness benefits was 421.8/10,000 jobs, 435.4 for males and 452.0 for females. There were 3.5 times more non-work-related than work-related claims. The main diagnoses were injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental disorders. Rates increased with age up to 59 years. Economic activity 37-Sewage had the highest incidence of non-work-related and work-related claims.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of sickness benefits is higher among female and older workers. Economic activities show great variability of sickness benefit rates, work-relatedness, diagnostic categories, and gender.

Injury risk associated with physical demands and school environment characteristics among a cohort of custodial workers

Few epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between work exposures and injury risk among custodians. The relationship between injury risk and occupational physical demands (e.g. pushing/pulling, lifting) and school environment characteristics (e.g. school type, season) was investigated among a cohort of 581 school custodians over a 4-year period. In the final Poisson regression models, the risk of injury was associated with time spent in pushing/pulling tasks in a dose-response manner increasing to a five-fold risk among the highest quartile of exposure (risk ratio = 5.15, 95% CI 1.00, 26.5). Injury risk was also associated with working during the school year compared to the summer, working in a school with grass vs. gravel grounds and working in a school with detached classrooms. Results help to target interventions such as alternative methods for floor cleaning to reduce the pushing/pulling demands of custodial work and to support decisions for alternatives to detached classrooms and grass surfaces. Statement of Relevance: This study examines ergonomic factors (physical demand exposures, school environment characteristics) associated with injury risk among custodial school workers. The findings help schools to target interventions to reduce the physical demands associated with injuries and to design school environments to reduce exposures.

Industry and injury related hospital contacts: a follow-up study of injuries among working men in Denmark

OBJECTIVES

To estimate proportions of injuries that are attributable to the work environment (excess fractions) among economically active men and to identify industries associated with an elevated injury risk.

METHODS

A follow-up study was conducted among all economically active men in Denmark aged 20-59 yr 1 January 1999 (N=1,315,772) for first hospital contacts in the period 1999-2003 due to injury in five body regions. Age standardised hospital treatment ratios (SHR) were calculated by industry and excess fractions were estimated.

RESULTS

The excess fractions by body region attributable to the work environment were: 22% (95% CI 18-26%) for lower extremities, 29% (95% CI 24-34%) for head and neck, 31% (95% CI 25-37%) for thorax, 36% (95% CI 30-43%) for upper extremities, and 39% (CI: 32-46%) for back injuries. We identified eight industries associated with significantly elevated risks for injuries to each of the five body regions. These were: "road contractors", "bricklayer, joiner, and carpentry work", "finishing (construction work)", "transport of goods", "fire service and salvage corps", "stone-works, pottery, and glass industry", "cleaning, laundries, and dry cleaners", and "slaughterhouse industry".

CONCLUSIONS

There are substantial industrial inequalities in injury rates among male workers in Denmark. The size of the inequalities differs between body regions.

Are female healthcare workers at higher risk of occupational injury?

BACKGROUND

Differential risks of occupational injuries by gender have been examined across various industries. With the number of employees in healthcare rising and an overwhelming proportion of this workforce being female, it is important to address this issue in this growing sector.

AIMS

To determine whether compensated work-related injuries among females are higher than their male colleagues in the British Columbia healthcare sector.

METHODS

Incidents of occupational injury resulting in compensated days lost from work over a 1-year period for all healthcare workers were extracted from a standardized operational database and the numbers of productive hours were obtained from payroll data. Injuries were grouped into all injuries and musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs). Detailed analysis was conducted using Poisson regression modelling.

RESULTS

A total of 42 332 employees were included in the study of whom 11% were male and 89% female. When adjusted for age, occupation, sub-sector, employment category, health region and facility, female workers had significantly higher risk of all injuries [rate ratio (95% CI) = 1.58 (1.24-2.01)] and MSIs [1.43 (1.11-1.85)] compared to their male colleagues.

CONCLUSIONS

Occupational health and safety initiatives should be gender sensitive and developed accordingly.

Work injuries and disability

PROBLEM

This study estimated the hazard ratio for disability pension retirement (DPR) for persons who have experienced a work injury causing absence lasting at least one day after the accidental injury occurred and to estimate the fraction of DPR attributable to work injuries.

METHODS

A total of 4,217 male and 4,105 female employees from a national survey were followed up for subsequent DPR.

RESULTS AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT

Having had a work injury was a strong predictor of DPR among men. After control for age, smoking, body mass index, body postures, and physical demands, the hazard ratio (HR) among those employees who had ever experienced a work injury was 1.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-2.68). No association was found among women.

SUMMARY

Having had a reportable work injury is a strong predictor of subsequent DPR for men.

Sex differences in injury patterns among workers in heavy manufacturing

The objective of the study was to determine if female workers in a heavy manufacturing environment have a higher risk of injury compared with males when performing the same job and to evaluate sex differences in type or severity of injury. By use of human resources and incident surveillance data for the hourly population at 6 US aluminum smelters, injuries that occurred from January 1, 1996, through December 21, 2005, were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression, adjusted for job, tenure, and age category, was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for female versus male injury risk for all injuries, recordable injuries, and lost work time injuries. The analysis was repeated for acute injuries and musculoskeletal disorder-related injuries separately. Female workers in this industry have a greater risk for sustaining all forms of injury after adjustment for age, tenure, and standardized job category (odds ratio = 1.365, 95% confidence interval: 1.290, 1.445). This excess risk for female workers persisted when injuries were dichotomized into acute injuries (odds ratio = 1.2) and musculoskeletal disorder-related injuries (odds ratio = 1.1). This study provides evidence of a sex disparity in occupational injury with female workers at higher risk compared with their male counterparts in a heavy manufacturing environment.