NON-FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES SUEZ GOVERNORATE, EGYPT: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES ANALYSIS. | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine | ||
| Article 8, Volume 35, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 119-141 PDF (340.43 K) | ||
| Document Type: Study paper | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejom.2011.735 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Awadalla NJ; Kamel EA. | ||
| Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: The collection and analysis of accurate injury statistics is essential for workers’ health and safety and for future prevention and control of similar events. The Suez Governorate of Egypt is hosting one of the large and growing industrial areas of Egypt that contains many industries, old and recent, employing tens of thousands f workers. Objective: The present study examines the insurance claims filed in the branch of Health insurance Organization (HIO) of Suez Governorate over the period of two years aiming at highlighting the problem of non-fatal accidents resulting in injuries, identifying the dangerous industries, searching for the hazardous acts and media of accidents, identifying the most frequently suffered body site and type of injury, and recommending measures to minimize accident rates and severity. Methods: A record-based retrospective descriptive study was conducted and included 742 non- fatal occupational accidents/injuries notified and registered in the HIO Branch of Suez, over the years 2008 and 2009. An abbreviated sheet-form was constructed to collect data originally written in Arabic and in a paragraph-form. It included victims’ demographic criteria, accident circumstances and outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical package of SPSS version 10. Results: The highest number of claims came from the metal and machinery industries (24%), mining, quarrying and glass industries (23%), then transport and storage industries (13%). Upper and lower extremities were the most frequently affected body sites. Fractures and bruises were the most frequently reported injury types. Amputations constituted 6% of total injuries. Slipping and tripping, being struck by objects and road traffic accidents were the more frequently reported medium of injuries. Residual impairment and disability were observed in 13.3% of the total claims. Amputations and fractures significantly increased the risk of disability (OR=54.0 and OR=3.15). Eye injuries accounted for 2.42% of the grand total and tended to concentrate in Rock and Steel Industries. Conclusion and recommendations: The metal and machinery industry yielded the largest number of claims of non-fatal injuries to HIO of Suez Governorate. Fractures and bruises ranked first as type of injuries. Amputations and residual impairment and disability were observed in significant proportion of injuries. An integrated Occupational Health and Safety Program should be launched in industries mentioned in the study specifically where the highest rates of injuries and residual disabilities were reported. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| non-fatal injuries, industries, injuries medium, occupational injuries,; victim’s activities, disability | ||
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