Occupational Injuries in a Synthetic Fibre Factory in Iran Publisher Pubmed



Sanati KA¹ ; Yadegarfar G² ; Naghavi SHR³ ; Sadr AH⁴ ; Gholami M² ; Hadipour M² ; Sanati JGH⁵
Source: Occupational Medicine Published:2009

Abstract

Background: A lack of information on the overall characteristics of work-related injuries in Iran holds back the development of effective injury prevention strategies. Aim: To evaluate characteristics of work-related injuries in a synthetic fibre factory in Iran. Methods: This study reports a 16-year (1991-2007) experience of ongoing surveillance of work-related injuries in a large synthetic fibre factory. Descriptive statistics were used to show the overall characteristics of work-related injuries. Associations between external causes of injury and the odds of an accident occurring that led to hospital referral were examined using logistic regression analyses. Results: In total, 836 injury events were reported. Almost half of these (46%) involved injury to hand/wrist, while about a quarter (24%) of injuries were to the head and 10% to ankle/foot. Hospital referral after an injury was related mainly to falls [odds ratio (OR) 3.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.72-6.12, P < 0.001] and to work involving moving machinery (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12-3.55, P = 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that falls are a serious safety concern in the workplace. The results also show that 80% of injury events affected hand/wrist, ankle/foot or head; a finding which could be used in injury prevention efforts. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.