Work-related death: a continuing epidemic

Abstract

Worldwide, work-related illnesses and injuries kill approximately 1.1 million people per year. In 1992, an estimated 65,000 people in the United States died of occupational injuries or illness. Most estimates indicate that occupational diseases account for far more fatalities than occupational injuries. However, an accurate enumeration of occupational disease fatalities is hampered by a paucity of data, owing to underdiagnosis of occupational diseases and inadequacy of current surveillance systems. In this commentary, the authors review the epidemiology of death due to occupational disease and injury in the United States and discuss vulnerable populations, emerging trends, and prevention strategies for this ongoing public health problem.

Factors Associated with Fatal Occupational Accidents among Mexican Workers: A National Analysis

“…The present study also found a 5% increase per year increase in age (OR 1.05; p<0.001) in the possibility of death in the event of an injury. While it has been reported that age groups from 25 to 44 years old have a higher proportion of fatal injuries [ 42 , 54 , 62 – 64 ], injuries among workers over 65 years of age are less frequent but apparently more often fatal [ 41 , 61 , 65 ]. The present study found a similar pattern, observing a frequency of 9.57% for non-fatal injuries in this age group and 15.73% for fatal injuries.…”

“…In a study performed in the construction sector, the proportion of occupational injuries among manual laborers and bricklayers was consistent with the present study, since the manual workers also belong to the group of workers without qualifications [ 19 – 20 ]. This fact may be related to a lack of training [ 11 , 64 ] for the tasks and a lack of access to safety measures on the job, and could also be explained by educational level [ 20 , 22 , 55 ]. Unfortunately training and schooling variables were not available for the present study and, therefore, it was not possible to estimate their potential association.…”

Fatal occupational injuries among non‐governmental employees in Malaysia

“…The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an incidence of 4.0 per 100,000 [US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006a] while the Health Safety Commission of Great Britain recorded an even lower incidence of 0.71 per 100,000 [Health and Safety Executive UK, 2006]. Studies by Herbert et al [Herbert et al, 2000] and Takala [Takala, 1999] have noted higher incidence of fatal occupational injuries in developing countries (36.3 per 100,000 in Pakistan; 34.0 per 100,000 in Korea) as compared to developed countries. Developing countries may be vulnerable to hazards at workplace since they lack safeguards, expertise and public pressures to help in reducing injuries to the workers [Baram, 2009].…”

“…Such injuries contribute up to 350,000 deaths [Concha-Barrientos et al, 2005] with developing countries having the highest injury fatality rate [Herbert et al, 2000; Takala 1999]. In United States (US), incidence of total work injuries in 2009 was 3.5 fatal work injuries/100,000 workers, down from 3.7 in 2008 [Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, 2011].…”

Race, Racial Discrimination, and the Risk of Work-Related Illness, Injury, or Assault: Findings From a National Study

“…Hispanic workers, particularly recent immigrants, are at particularly high risk of occupational illness and injury. 9, 10 Racial/ ethnic minorities also have disproportionately higher rates of fatal occupational injuries 11, 12 and death due to occupational disease 13-16 than Whites. Classic case studies are particularly illustrative of the disproportionate risk minorities often face in the workplace.…”