Work-related injuries involving a hand or fingers among union carpenters in Washington State, 1989 to 2008.
Authors
Lipscomb-HJ; Schoenfisch-A; Cameron-W
Source
J Occup Environ Med 2013 Jul; 55(7):832-838
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated work-related injuries involving a hand or fingers and associated costs among a cohort of 24,830 carpenters between 1989 and 2008. METHODS: Injury rates and rate ratios were calculated by using Poisson regression to explore higher risk on the basis of age, sex, time in the union, predominant work, and calendar time. Negative binomial regression was used to model dollars paid per claim after adjustment for inflation and discounting. RESULTS: Hand injuries accounted for 21.1% of reported injuries and 9.5% of paid lost time injuries. Older carpenters had proportionately more amputations, fractures, and multiple injuries, but their rates of these more severe injuries were not higher. Costs exceeded $21 million, a cost burden of $0.11 per hour worked. CONCLUSIONS: Older carpenters' higher proportion of serious injuries in the absence of higher rates likely reflects age-related reporting differences.
Keywords
Biomechanics; Construction; Construction-industry; Construction-workers; Demographic-characteristics; Health-care; Injuries; Mathematical-models; Musculoskeletal-system; Musculoskeletal-system-disorders; Occupational-hazards; Risk-factors; Statistical-analysis; Work-operations; Workplace-studies; Work-practices; Hand-injuries
Contact
Hester J. Lipscomb, PhD, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3834 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710
Document Type
Journal Article
Email Address
hester.lipscomb@duke.edu
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
Identifying No.
Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-OH-009761; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-OH-009762
Priority Area
Construction
Source Name
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Performing Organization
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
