Premium
Non‐fatal occupational injuries related to slips, trips and falls in seafaring
Author(s) -
Jensen Olaf C.,
Sørensen J.F.L.,
Canals M.L.,
Hu Yunping,
Nikolic N.,
Mozer A.A.
Publication year - 2005
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/ajim.20119
Subject(s) - medicine , occupational safety and health , injury prevention , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , medical emergency , environmental health , pathology
Abstract Background Merchant seafaring often involves hazardous occupational operations and several studies have shown increased overall injury mortality. The aim of this study was to describe the risks involved in slip, trip and fall (STF) injuries in merchant seafaring, in order to point out areas for prevention. Methods A questionnaire study was carried out in 11 countries with 6,461 participants. The seafarers gave information on whether they were injured during their latest tour of duty, and whether STF preceded the injury. Results Of the total reported injuries 43% (n = 467) were STF related. Fractures and sprains accounted for 42% of the STF injuries compared with 17% for non‐STF injuries. The proportions of STF injuries for different types of ships and areas of the ships varied from < 30% to >60%, particularly work on passenger ship decks, where STF injuries were >60%. The proportions of STF injuries increased by age and by severity of the injury. Conclusions Injuries related to STF on merchant ships were more frequent than previous estimates. There is a need for improvements in defining, reporting, and preventing STF injuries in merchant seafaring. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:161–171, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.