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Fatal injuries caused by logs rolling off trucks: Kentucky 1994‐1998
Author(s) -
Struttmann Timothy William,
Scheerer Amy Lynn
Publication year - 2001
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(200102)39:2<203::aid-ajim1007>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - truck , medicine , occupational safety and health , logging , limiting , hazardous waste , poison control , environmental health , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , case fatality rate , transport engineering , operations management , forensic engineering , engineering , waste management , population , forestry , automotive engineering , mechanical engineering , pathology , geography
Abstract Background Logging is one of the most hazardous occupations and fatality rates are consistently among the highest of all industries. A review of fatalities caused by logs rolling off trucks is presented. Methods The Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Project is a statewide surveillance system for occupational fatalities. Investigations are conducted on selected injuries with an emphasis on prevention strategy development. Logging was an area of high priority for case investigation. Results During 1994‐1998, we identified seven incidents in which a worker was killed by a log rolling off a truck at a sawmill, accounting for 15% of the 45 deaths related to logging activities. These cases were reviewed to identify similar characteristics and risk factors. Conclusions Investigations led to recommendations for behavioral, administrative, and engineering controls. Potential interventions include limiting load height on trucks, installing unloading cages at sawmills and prohibiting overloaded trucks on public roadways. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:203–208, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.