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Persistent and emerging hazards contributing to work‐related fatalities in Alaska
Author(s) -
Lucas Devin,
Fitzgerald Elizabeth,
Case Samantha,
O'Connor Mary,
Syron Laura
Publication year - 2020
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.23137
Subject(s) - occupational safety and health , medicine , poisson regression , injury prevention , environmental health , poison control , suicide prevention , occupational injury , demography , case fatality rate , human factors and ergonomics , population , pathology , sociology
Background Workers in Alaska have an elevated risk of dying on the job compared to workers in the rest of the United States. The purpose of this study was to measure and describe the trend in fatalities during the 15‐year period 2004 to 2018, and to identify lingering and emerging hazards that result in fatalities. Methods Data on fatal work‐related injuries in Alaska during 2004 to 2018 were obtained from the Alaska Occupational Injury Surveillance System. Descriptive statistics were calculated to identify fatality characteristics. Fatality rates were expressed as the number of deaths per 100 000 workers, and Poisson regression was used to measure the trend during the study period. Results During 2004 to 2018, there were 517 work‐related fatalities in Alaska. The average annual risk of fatalities during the 15‐year period was 9.6 per 100 000 workers, with no significant trend. The leading events or exposures resulting in fatal injuries to workers in Alaska during 2004 to 2018 were water vehicle incidents (145, 28.0%), aircraft incidents (105, 20.3%), and suicides (46, 8.9%). The number of suicides and homicides at work increased substantially during the 15‐year period. Conclusions While deaths due to water vehicle incidents have substantially decreased, they still represent a major component of Alaska's work‐related fatality profile. Aviation safety continues to be an area of concern in Alaska. Unintentional drug overdoses at work, as well as workplace violence in the form of suicides and homicides, represent emerging issues that need the attention of Alaskan occupational safety stakeholders. These findings can inform and direct fatality prevention research and practice.