Dawn N. Castillo

Fire fighter fatalities 1998–2001: overview with an emphasis on structure related traumatic fatalities

Objective: To review the causes of all fire fighter line-of-duty-deaths from 1998 through 2001, and present recommendations for preventing fatalities within the specific subgroup of structure related events. Methods: Fire fighter fatality data from the United States Fire Administration were reviewed and classified into three main categories of injury. Investigations conducted through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program provided the basis for the recommendations presented in this paper. Results: During the time period from 1998–2001, there were 410 line-of-duty deaths among fire fighters in the United States, excluding the 343 fire fighters who died at the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001. The 410 fatalities included 191 medical (non-traumatic) deaths (47%), 75 motor vehicle related fatalities (18%), and 144 other traumatic fatalities (35%). The latter group included 68 fatalities that were associated with structures which commonly involved structural collapse, rapid fire progression, and trapped fire fighters. Conclusions: Structural fires pose particular hazards to fire fighters. Additional efforts must be directed to more effectively use what we have learned through the NIOSH investigations and recommendations from published experts in the safety community, consensus standards, and national fire safety organizations to reduce fire fighter fatalities during structural fire fighting.

Follow-back study of oldest workers with emergency department-treated injuries.

The aging of the U.S. workforce highlights the need to address issues affecting older workers specifically. Telephone surveys were conducted with injured workers identified through a surveillance system based in a sample of emergency departments in the United States. The 176 interviewed cases correspond to a national estimate of 8,263 (s.e. = 1,258) injuries to workers aged 63 years and older during May 15-September 30, 1993. Five percent reported limitations in the types or amount of work they could perform prior to the injury. Ninety-four percent reported familiarity with the task resulting in injury. Fifty-one percent returned to work without missing any workdays; however, 69% required return visits to a health care provider. Thirty-four percent reported receiving training in injury prevention. Twenty percent of the injured workers were self-employed and 43% worked for small businesses. Data from this study provide insight into routinely collected statistics and have implications for future research and intervention efforts.

Evaluation of a nationally funded state-based programme to reduce fatal occupational injuries

Background The Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) programme was established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to help prevent occupational traumatic fatalities by funding states to conduct targeted fatality investigations within cause-specific focus areas and associated prevention efforts. Purpose To investigate the impact of the state-based FACE programme on two previous focus areas. Methods A longitudinal time-series analysis spanning 22 years compared state fatality rates for occupational falls and electrocutions before and after FACE programme funding with states not receiving FACE programme funding. Lag periods were utilised to allow time for the programme to have an effect, and rates were adjusted for a variety of covariates. Separate analyses were conducted for each injury outcome. Results A reduction in fall fatality rates that was of borderline significance (1-year lag adjRR=0.92 (0.84 to 1.00)) and a non-significant reduction in electrocution fatality rates (3-year lag adjRR=0.92 (0.82 to 1.03)) were observed in states with FACE programme funding, Best-fit models presented two separate lag periods. Conclusions While it is challenging to quantitatively evaluate effectiveness of programmes such as FACE, the data suggest the FACE programme may be effective in preventing occupational injury deaths within its outcome focus areas throughout the state. It is important to look for ways to measure intermediate effects more precisely, as well as ways to maintain effects over time.

Reflecting on the 5th National Occupational Injury Research Symposium and looking forward

For 2-1/2days in October, 2011, more than 200 researchers convened at the 5th National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) to celebrate advances and successes in the field, to learn from each other about recent and ongoing occupational injury research, and to network and establish new professional relationships to advance occupational injury research in the future. This special issue highlights some of the research presented at that meeting. There has been considerable progress in research and worker safety since the first NOIRS in 1997, with demonstrated reductions in worker deaths and injury, an increased depth and breadth of research, and the development and validation of prevention strategies. Despite this progress, occupational injuries continue to exert too high a toll on workers, employers and society, and there are numerous challenges that need to be addressed to continue advancements in worker safety.