Characteristics of adolescent work injuries reported to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of the study was to provide descriptive data and incidence data on adolescent work-related injuries and to determine whether such injuries are underreported to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. METHODS. The study consisted of a 1-year survey of 534 adolescent work-related injuries reported to the Department of Labor and Industry and a cross-sectional survey of 3312 public high school students from throughout Minnesota. The high school survey used an abbreviated questionnaire with a subset of items from the Department of Labor and Industry survey. RESULTS. Ninety-six percent of the injuries were strains and sprains, cuts and lacerations, burns, bruises and contusions, and fractures. There were 11 hospitalizations; 4 were for burns that occurred during work in restaurants. Eighty workers (15%) reported permanent impairment as a result of their injuries. It was estimated that there were 2268 reportable injuries to working adolescents in Minnesota during the study year. CONCLUSIONS. The most common serious injuries were injuries to the lower back and burns. The demographic characteristics of adolescents whose injuries were reported to the Department of Labor and Industry were similar to those of injured adolescent workers identified through the high school survey. The results suggest that there is substantial underreporting of adolescent work injuries.

Organizational Safety Climate and Work Experience

“…Self-reported measures have been effectively used in workplace accident analyses and safety surveys (e.g., Gyekye and Salminen [15,61] and Siu et al [34]). Besides, while epidemiologic reports were found to be faulty, biased and deficient because of poor documentation [62,63], research reports have found self-reported accident rates to be closely related to documented accident rates [64]. Notwithstanding these limitations, the current study contributes to the growing body of research, which has identified work experience as an important variable for investigation in safety management policies.…”

Educational status and organizational safety climate: Does educational attainment influence workers’ perceptions of workplace safety?

“…Selfreported measures have been effectively used in accident and safety analyses (e.g., Gyekye, 2005Gyekye, , 2006Siu et al, 2003). Besides, while epidemiologic reports have been found to be faulty, biased and deficient because of poor documentation (Parker et al, 1994;Veazie et al, 1994), research reports have found self-reported accident rates to be closely related to documented accident rates (Smith et al, 2001). Notwithstanding the above-mentioned limitation, the current study contributes to the growing body of research which has identified educational status as important variable for investigation in safety management policies.…”

“Making it work in the frontline” explains female home care workers’ defining, recognizing, communicating and reporting of occupational disorders

“…Reporting also varies between counties and groups of workers, e.g. workers in sparsely populated areas, women, young people, and those who are selfemployed and precariously employed (Parker, Carl, French & Martin, 1994;Quinlan & Mayhew, 1999). However, a study of hospital environmental service workers found underreporting more likely among older workers and those having worked longer time at the same job (Weddle, 1996).…”