Analysis of Exertion-Related Injuries and Fatalities in Laborers in the United States

Margaret C. Morrissey (), Zachary Yukio Kerr, Gabrielle J. Brewer, Faton Tishukaj, Douglas J. Casa and Rebecca L. Stearns
Additional contact information
Margaret C. Morrissey: Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Zachary Yukio Kerr: Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Gabrielle J. Brewer: Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Faton Tishukaj: Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo
Douglas J. Casa: Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Rebecca L. Stearns: Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: Laborers are particularly vulnerable to exertional injuries and illnesses, as they often engage in heavy physical work for prolonged hours, yet no studies have examined the top causes of catastrophic exertional injuries and fatalities among this population. The purpose of the investigation was to characterize the top causes of exertional injury and fatality within open access, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reportable data. A secondary analysis of OSHA reported injury and fatality data was performed through open access records from OSHA Severe Injury Reports (2015–2022) and OSHA fatality inspection data (2017–2020), respectively. The research team characterized each reported injury and fatality as “exertion-related” or “non-exertion-related. Injury and fatality rates were reported per 100,000 equivalent full-time worker years and included 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Of 58,648 cases in the OSHA Severe Injury Report database from 2015–2020, 1682 cases (2.9%) were characterized as exertional (0.20 injuries per 100,000 full-time worker years, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.22). Heat-related injuries encompassed 91.9% of the exertional injuries ( n = 1546). From the 2017–2022 OSHA fatality inspection database, 89 (1.9%) of 4598 fatalities were characterized as exertion-related (fatality rate: 0.0160 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.0134). The exertion-related fatalities primarily consisted of heat-related cases (87.6%). Exertion-related injuries and fatalities were most reported in Southeast states, in the construction and excavation industry, and among nonunionized workers. As heat stress continues to be recognized as an occupational health and safety hazard, this analysis further highlights the need for targeted interventions or further evaluation of the impact of heat stress on construction and excavation workers, nonunionized workers, and workers in Southeastern states.

Keywords: epidemiology; work; heat stress; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2683/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2683/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2683-:d:1055530

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().