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Slip and fall‐related injuries in relation to environmental cold and work location in above‐ground coal mining operations
Author(s) -
Bell Jennifer L.,
Gardner Lytt I.,
Landsittel Douglas P.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0274(200007)38:1<40::aid-ajim5>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - occupational safety and health , medicine , work (physics) , coal mining , slip (aerodynamics) , injury prevention , poison control , cold climate , environmental science , environmental health , forensic engineering , coal , mining engineering , meteorology , engineering , waste management , geography , mechanical engineering , pathology , aerospace engineering
Background The association between slip and fall‐related injuries and environmental temperature was examined for mostly enclosed (inside vehicles, machinery, or buildings), outdoor (outside, not enclosed), and enclosed/outdoor jobs in the coal mining industry to see if differences existed among the three work locations that had varying exposure to cold temperatures. Methods Temperature data from the National Climatic Data Center and injury data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration were evaluated from 1985–1990 for seven states. Proportionate methods were used to examine the relationship between slips and falls and temperature. Results Proportionate injury ratios of slips and fall‐related injuries increased as temperature declined for all three work locations. Proportion of slips and fall‐related injuries that occurred while running/walking increased with declining temperature, with the ground outside as the most common source of these injuries. Conclusions Outside movement becomes a greater hazard at freezing temperatures for workers in all locations, not just outdoor workers. Any intervention methods geared toward reducing injury incidents facilitated by cold weather must also be directed toward workers who spend time in more enclosed locations. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:40–48, 2000. © Published 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.