American journal of industrial medicine
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Emergency responders frequently incur injuries while providing medical, fire, and law enforcement services. National surveillance systems provide fragmented perspectives on responder injuries because they omit specific classes of workers (e.g., government or volunteers); they report only selected injuries; and employment information is incomplete. ⋯ The physical demands of emergency response are a leading cause of injuries that may benefit from similar interventions across the occupations. To assess risk, improved exposure data need to be acquired, particularly for volunteers.
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The rate of lost-time sprains and strains in private nursing homes is over three times the national average, and for back injuries, almost four times the national average. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) has sponsored interventions that were preferentially promoted to nursing homes in 2000-2001, including training, consultation, and grants up to $40,000 for equipment purchases. ⋯ Expenditures for ergonomic equipment in nursing homes by the Ohio BWC were associated with fewer worker injuries and reductions in claim costs that were similar in magnitude to expenditures. Un-estimated benefits and costs also need to be considered in assessing full health and financial impacts.
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We measured resources used to provide medical care and to estimate lost productivity represented by payments for lost work time or impairment for work-related back injuries among a large cohort of union carpenters over 15 years. ⋯ Increasing costs even among relatively young carpenters likely reflect the heavy nature of their work rather than simply the effects of biological aging. Musculoskeletal back problems remain a common, and consequently costly, source of injury among these carpenters that needs to be addressed through engineering modifications; there are also clearly needs for prevention of the often more costly back injuries associated with acute trauma.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate musculoskeletal injuries and disorders resulting from patient handling prior to the implementation of a "minimal manual lift" policy at a large tertiary care medical center. We sought to define the circumstances surrounding patient handling injuries and to identify potential preventive measures. ⋯ The use of mechanical lift equipment could significantly reduce the risk of some patient handling injuries but additional interventions need to be considered that address other patient handling tasks. Smaller high-risk workgroups should not be neglected in prevention efforts.
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Comparative Study
Characteristics of occupational burns in Oregon, 2001-2006.
Occupational burns are known to be a serious public health concern. This article describes work-related burns in Oregon between 2001 and 2006. ⋯ Occupational burns continue to be a problem for working Oregonians, and the use of additional data sources outside of WC augments our surveillance system.