The Impact of prevention measures and organisational factors on occupational injuries

This paper analyses the impact of a series of managerial and organisational factors on occupational injuries. These consist of occupational safety measures, as regards both the intensity and the orientation of risk prevention in companies, and the adoption of certain work organisation practices, quality management and the use of flexible production technologies. We estimate a negative binomial regression based on a sample of 213 Spanish industrial establishments, defining a constant random parameter to take account of non-observable heterogeneity. Our results show that occupational safety measures, the intensive use of quality management tools and the empowerment of workers all help to reduce the number of injuries. We have also confirmed the presence of synergies between the organisational factors analysed and the development of an occupational safety strategy featuring participation and the extension of prevention to all levels of the organisation.

Lésions de surcharge chez l'enfant [Overuse injuries in children].

The physical-activity and sporting at the child and the teenager is probably, in these years 2000, in full change. In a paradoxical way, extremely sporting children or teenagers are living beside extremely sedentary school-boys, neglecting the majority of the physical-activities and preferring a home-lifestyle. In the evaluation of overload sporting lesion of at teenager, it is thus imperative to take into account not only the individual characteristics of the child: its sex, its age, its stage of growth, its psychology, the presence or not of preexistent pathologies or anatomical disorders. It is naturally necessary to wonder about the training methods of the activity, but it appears fundamental to me to evaluate the child from a sensitivo-motor point of view and this can be carried out by assessments physio-therapeutic or aptitude tests carried out by doctors of the sport.

Extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) subsheath: Normal MRI appearance and findings in athletic injuries : 40

Purpose: First, to report ECU subsheath's normal MRI appearance and the findings in athletic injuries. Second, to determine the best MRI sequence for diagnosis. Methods and materials: Sixteen patients (13 males, 3 females, mean age 30.3 years) with ECU subsheath's athletic injuries sustained between January 2003 and June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Wrist MRI studies were performed on 1.5-T units and consisted of at least transverse T1 and STIR sequences in pronation, and FS Gd T1 in pronation and supination. Two radiologists assessed the following items, in consensus: injury type (A to C according to Inoue), ECU tendon stability, and associated lesions (ulnar head oedema, extensor retinaculum injury, ECU tendinosis and tenosynovitis). Then, each reader independently rated the sequences' diagnostic value: 0 = questionable, 1 = suggestive, 2 = certain. Follow-up studies were present in 8 patients. ECU subsheath's normal visibility (medial, central and lateral parts) was retrospectively evaluated in 30 consecutive control MRI studies. Results: FS Gd T1 sequences in supination (1.63) and pronation (1.59) were the most valuable for diagnosis, compared to STIR (1.22) and T1 (1). The study group included 9 type A, 1 type B and 6 type C injuries. There were trends towards diminution in pouches' size, signal intensity and enhancement in follow-up studies, along with tendon stabilization within the ulnar groove. In control studies, ECU subsheath's visibility in medial, central and lateral parts were noted in 66.7-80%, 63.3-80% and 30-50% respectively. Conclusion: ECU subsheath's athletic injuries are visible on 1.5-T MRI studies. FS Gd T1 sequences in supination and pronation are the most valuable.

Underreporting of needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in a Swiss University Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) rates of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSIs) not reported to occupational health services, 2) reasons for underreporting and 3) awareness of reporting procedures in a Swiss university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed 6,367 employees having close clinical contact with patients or patient specimens. The questionnaire covered age, sex, occupation, years spent in occupation, history of NSSI during the preceding twelve months, NSSI reporting, barriers to reporting and knowledge of reporting procedures. RESULTS: 2,778 questionnaires were returned (43.6%) of which 2,691 were suitable for analysis. 260/2,691 employees (9.7%) had sustained at least one NSSI during the preceding twelve months. NSSIs were more frequent among nurses (49.2%) and doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) (36.9%). NSSI rate by occupation was 8.6% for nurses, 19% for doctors and 1.3% for domestic staff. Of the injured respondents, 73.1% reported all events, 12.3% some and 14.6% none. 42.7% of doctors performing invasive procedures (IPs) underreported NSSIs and represented 58.6% of underreported events. Estimation that transmission risk was low (87.1%) and perceived lack of time (34.3%) were the most common reasons for non-reporting. Regarding reporting procedures, 80.1% of respondents knew to contact occupational health services. CONCLUSION: Doctors performing IPs have high rates of NSSI and, through self-assessment that infection transmission risk is low or perceived lack of time, high rates of underreporting. If individual risk analyses underestimate the real risk, such underreporting represents a missed opportunity for post-exposure prophylaxis and identification of hazardous procedures. Doctors' training in NSSI reporting merits re-evaluation.

Mortality counts and rates for injuries in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales

Number of deaths and age-standardised death rates by type of injury for the following regions and year of occurrence:Republic of Ireland 1982, 1983, 1995-2004Northern Ireland 1982, 1983, 1995-2002England 1996-2003Scotland 1982, 1983, 1995-2004Wales 1996-2003

Hospital admission counts and rates for injuries in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales

Number of hospital discharges and age-standardised discharge rates for emergency hospital admissions for injury by sex and type of injury for the following regions and year:Republic of Ireland 2006Northern Ireland 2006England 2006/07Scotland 2006/07Wales 2006 Numbers and rates are based on official hospital statistics from each region. All regions use International Classification of Disease (ICD) version 10 for hospital discharges in these years. Only emergency inpatient hospital spells with an ICD 10 code in the range S000-T739, T750-T759, T780-T789 (in any diagnostic position) and an ICD10 external cause code in the range V01-Y36 (in any diagnostic position) were included. A hospital spell is an unbroken period of time that a person spends as an inpatient in a hospital. The person may change consultant and/or specialty during a spell but is counted only once. See http://www.injuryobservatory.net/analysis-of-inpatient-admissions-data-f... for more details.

Alcohol and Injuries in the Accident and Emergency Department:A National Perspective

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SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland - Findings from National Population Surveys

SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland – Findings from National Population Surveys Click to download PDF 982kb