Larry A. Layne

Occupational injury deaths of 16- and 17-year-olds in the United States

Data from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities surveillance system were used to analyze occupational injury deaths of civilian 16- and 17-year-olds during 1980 through 1989. There were 670 deaths; the rate was 5.11 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. The leading causes of death were incidents involving motor vehicles and machines, electrocution, and homicide. Workers 16 and 17 years old appear to be at greater risk than adults for occupational death by electrocution, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, and natural and environmental factors. Improved enforcement of and compliance with federal child labor laws, evaluation of the appropriateness of currently permitted activities, and education are encouraged.

Adolescent occupational injuries requiring hospital emergency department treatment: a nationally representative sample.

Data from a nationally representative sample of emergency departments for the 6-month period July through December 1992 were used to examine nonfatal occupational injuries sustained by adolescents aged 14 through 17 years. There were 679 occupational injuries, corresponding to an estimated 37,405 injuries nationwide. Males constituted 65.8% of the injury victims. The injury rate for males was 7.0 per 100 full-time employees, compared with 4.4 for females. Lacerations to the hand or finger accounted for 25.6% of all injuries. The majority of injuries occurred in retail trades (53.7%), which also had the highest rate (6.3 per 100 full-time employees). Seventy-one percent of the injuries in retail trade occurred in eating and drinking establishments.

Three perspectives on work-related injury surveillance systems.

This paper reviews surveillance approaches for occupational injuries and evaluates three emerging methodologies for the enhancement of work-related injury surveillance: (1) narrative data analysis, (2) data set linkage, and (3) comprehensive company-wide surveillance systems. All three methods are the result of new applications of computer hardware and software that have apparent strengths and limitations. A major strength is the improved description of work exposures and related injuries leading to better understanding of injury etiology. This understanding, however, is limited by the data quality and completeness entered on records at the time of the injury. We recommend (1) more widespread inclusion of narrative text in databases, analyses of which can be a valuable supplement to injury coded data; (2) the increased use of data set linkage studies to combine injury and work-history data; and (3) the development of comprehensive company-wide surveillance systems to expedite the use of epidemiologic data for occupational injury prevention activities. Further development of these methods and others is encouraged, especially in light of technological advancements in data capture, analysis and presentation. Only through such efforts can we best apply epidemiologic principles to preventing injuries in the workplace.

Adolescent occupational injuries in fast food restaurants: an examination of the problem from a national perspective

Work injuries to adolescents are most prevalent in the retail trades industry, with a large portion occurring in eating and drinking establishments (E&DEs). Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were examined for nonfatal injuries to adolescents, ages 14 through 17, injured while working in fast food restaurants (a subcategory of E&DEs) from July 1, 1992, to June 30, 1994. There were an estimated 44,765 adolescent injuries in E&DEs, with an estimated 27,997 in fast food restaurants, during this period. The injury rate for E&DEs in the 15 through 17 age group was higher than for all other industries combined (rate ratio [RR] = 1.7), with little disparity in rates between the sexes. This study identifies the fast food industry as the source of a large proportion of occupational injuries to adolescents, and indicates that task-specific risk factors seem to be strongly related to sex.

Injuries to youth living on U.S. farms in 2001 with comparison to 1998.

Abstract To obtain sustained injury surveillance data for youth on farms, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health developed the Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (CAIS) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first CAIS collected data for youth less than 20 years in 1998 through a regionally stratified telephone survey of 50,000 U.S. farm households; a second CAIS for 2001 was conducted using the same methodology. In 2001, there were approximately 1.2 million youth living on U.S. farms. These youth suffered an estimated 19,397 injuries (15.7/1,000 household youth). Approximately 60% (11,571) of the household youth injuries were to males. For all household youth, 10-15 year olds experienced the most injuries (49%, 9,486). In addition to providing estimates of demographics, injuries, and injury rates for household youth from the 2001 CAIS, this article provides a comparison to results from the 1998 CAIS. The number of household youth injuries on farms from 1998 to 2001 decreased by almost 30% (27,321 vs. 19,397). The results of this study show an overall decrease in the injury rate for youth living on the farm from 1998 to 2001 (18.8/1,000 household youth vs. 15.7/1,000 household youth). However, there was a considerable increase in the number of injuries to household females less than 20 years of age during this same time period. There was also an increase in the number of all terrain vehicle (ATV) and horse-related injuries. Continued surveillance is needed to assess if these are significant trends or the result of changing farm demographics.

Nonfatal work‐related inhalations: surveillance data from hospital emergency departments, 1995–1996

BACKGROUND Data from a stratified sample of hospital emergency rooms in the USA were used to describe nonfatal work-related inhalation injuries and illnesses during July 1995 to July 1996. METHODS Information was abstracted from emergency room records by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as part of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for all work-related injuries and illnesses regardless of product involvement. RESULTS There were an estimated 44,423 occupational inhalation cases nationwide, with an annual rate of 3.6 cases/10(4) workers/year. The rate for men (4.4 cases/10(4)) was greater than that observed for women (2.6 cases/10(4)), and the rates tended to decline with increasing age. An estimated 4.6% of the cases were hospitalized for further treatment. The highest rate by industry was 16.4 cases/10(4) for public administration (which included fire and police departments). Among non-firefighters, there were an estimated 6,470 cases nationwide in which respiratory symptoms or conditions were noted, which yielded an annual rate of 0.5 cases/10(4) (95% CI 0.3, 0.7). Chlorine compounds were a common agent for the cases with adverse respiratory outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The NEISS data provide an efficient method to learn about the national frequency of work-related inhalation injuries and illnesses. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is exploring two ways to use these data: first, to routinely review the reports to conduct surveillance for work-related inhalation cases; and second, to consider working with CPSC to conduct follow-back interviews of selected cases in order to learn more about the circumstances of the exposure, prior training of the case, and outcome of the exposure. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:140-148, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Nonfatal injuries to household youth on Native American operated farms in the U.S., 2000

Abstract In 2000, there were an estimated 7,381 youth living on 9,556 U.S. farms operated by Native Americans. Most of these youth (5,454, 74%) lived on livestock operations (6,833 farms, 72%). In that year, youth living on Native American operated farms sustained an estimated 177 nonfatal injuries. The majority of all injuries to household youth (147, 83%) occurred on livestock operations. Males accounted for 112 (63%) of the injuries to household youth. Overall, household youth on Native American operated farms had an injury rate of 24.0 injuries per 1,000 household youth compared to a rate of 8.1 injuries per 1,000 household youth on all other minority-operated farms. The rate ratio for work-related injuries to household youth on Native American farms compared to other minority-operated farms was 2.1. Although female youth on these farms experienced a similar non-work injury rate of 13.8 injuries per 1,000 female household youth compared to a rate of 15.1 injuries per 1,000 male household youth, the work-related injury rate for male youth (30.2 per 1,000 male household youth) was substantially higher than the work-related injury rate for female household youth (18.3 per 1,000 female household youth). These data indicate an elevated risk of injury for youth living on farms operated by Native Americans. This result is attributed to the large percentage of livestock operations for this population and the hazards associated with this type of farming. However, further research is needed to more fully understand these results and to guide culturally appropriate interventions within this population.

Traumatic fatalities at work. american indians and alaska natives, 1980 through 1988

To define the rates and characteristics of fatal occupational injuries among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in the United States, we examined death certificates included in the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities data base for deaths occurring from 1980 to 1988. Two hundred and seventy-four work-related deaths among AI/AN civilians (259 men, 15 women) were identified. In 1980, the fatality rate among employed AI/AN was 5.5/100,000 workers compared with 7.7/100,000 workers for the United States. Ninety percent of the AI/AN deaths were from unintentional injury, 6% from homicide, and 3% from suicide. The pattern of fatal occupational injuries among AI/AN differs from that for all races combined, especially with regard to the larger percent of AI/AN fatalities in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry and the high proportion of water transportation incidents.

Hired Crop Worker Injuries on Farms in the United States: A Comparison of Two Survey Periods From the National Agricultural Workers Survey

BACKGROUND Hired crop workers in the United States are at high risk of occupational injury. Targeted surveillance is important for effective occupational safety efforts. METHODS The National Agricultural Workers Survey was utilized to collect injury data during the years 1999, 2002-2004 (period I) and 2008-2010 (period II). RESULTS The overall injury rate declined between the two periods from 4.3 to 2.9/100 per full-time week-based equivalents (FTEWB ). Injury rates remained high during both periods for those with greater than 20 years farm experience (3.6 and 3.8/100 FTEWB ) and pesticide handling work (4.9 and 5.0/100 FTEWB ). Overexertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls from height were common during both periods. Older workers comprised a greater proportion of injury cases in period II. CONCLUSION Overexertion that leads to sprains/strains, dangerous ladder use, and pesticide use should be targeted as important risk exposures on the farm.Background Hired crop workers in the United States are at high risk of occupational injury. Targeted surveillance is important for effective occupational safety efforts. Methods The National Agricultural Workers Survey was utilized to collect injury data during the years 1999, 2002–2004 (period I) and 2008–2010 (period II). Results The overall injury rate declined between the two periods from 4.3 to 2.9/100 per full-time week-based equivalents (FTEWB). Injury rates remained high during both periods for those with greater than 20 years farm experience (3.6 and 3.8/100 FTEWB) and pesticide handling work (4.9 and 5.0/100 FTEWB). Overexertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls from height were common during both periods. Older workers comprised a greater proportion of injury cases in period II. Conclusion Overexertion that leads to sprains/strains, dangerous ladder use, and pesticide use should be targeted as important risk exposures on the farm. Am. J. Ind. Med.