Work-related falls from ladders--a follow-back study of US emergency department cases

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brennan MJ ; Courtney TK ; Kim JY ; Lombardi DA ; Perry MJ ; Smith GS
• Description:
  OBJECTIVES: Ladder falls comprise 16% of all US workplace fall-related fatalities, and ladder use may be particularly hazardous among older workers. This follow-back study of injured workers from a nationally representative sample of US emergency departments (ED) focused on factors related to ladder falls in three domains of the work environment: work equipment, work practices, and worker-related factors. Risk factors for fractures, the most frequent and severe outcome, were also evaluated. METHODS: Workers injured from a ladder fall, treated in one of the 65 participating ED in the occupational National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) were asked to participate. The questionnaire included worker demographics, injury, ladder and work equipment and environment characteristics, work tasks, and activities. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of a work-related fracture. RESULTS: Three-hundred and six workers experiencing an injury from an--on average--7.5-foot-fall from a step, extension, or straight ladder were interviewed primarily from construction, installation, maintenance, and repair professions. Injuries were most frequently to the arm, elbow or shoulder; head, neck, or face with diagnoses were primarily fracture, strain, sprain, contusion or abrasion. Workers were most frequently standing or sitting on the ladder while installing, hanging an item, or performing a repair when they fell. Ladder movement was the mechanism in 40% of falls. Environmental conditions played a role in <10% of cases. There was a significant association between fracture risk and fall height while working on the ladder that was also influenced by older work age. CONCLUSIONS: This study advances knowledge of falls from ladders to support those who specify means and methods, select equipment, and plan, supervise, or manage the performance of employees working at heights. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Accidents, Occupational Aging Men Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Surveys And Questionnaires Women Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Age-groups Author Keywords: Construction Emergency Department Epidemiology Fall Fall-protection Follow-back Study Fracture Humans Injuries Injury Ladder Ladders Questionnaires Risk-factors Safety Statistical-analysis Traumatic-injuries Work-areas Work-environment

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• ISSN:
  0355-3140
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  37
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20040363
• Citation:
  Scand J Work Environ Health 2011 Nov; 37(6):525-532
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr. David A Lombardi, Center for Injury Epidemiology, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748
• Email:
  david.lombardi@libertymutual.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard University School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19980930
• Source Full Name:
  Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
• End Date:
  20020929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5dc653393a2d21b6e47af18c5c9e4d3f2981efaae8bf8bc309e4fa6942734768687365d9985f17ac91b2179a54375869a585f3b4de92d7884cca8f53fd32347d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193267/cdc_193267_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 572.46 KB ]