Case-Control Study of Sawmill Injuries in Maine

Details

• Personal Author:
  Punnett, Laura ; Punnett, Laura
• Description:
  An epidemiological study of risk factors for injury in the wood processing industry in Maine was conducted to identify ergonomic and other specific work environmental factors. The study design was that of a case/control project in which potential cases were identified from the First Reports of Injury to the Maine Workers' Compensation commission. About half of the interviewed cases indicated that the injuries resulting in lost time were acute traumatic incidents and one half involved musculoskeletal disorders. Altogether, 157 cases and 251 controls were interviewed. Cases were more likely than controls to be employed in machine paced jobs, to be exposed to dangerous work methods and materials, to experience louder noise levels and faster work pace, to have higher lifting demands and more frequent postural stress, and to experience lower decision latitude and social support at work. The three strongest risk factors in the logistic regression models were processing of hard wood, employment in sawmills and planing mills versus wood products not elsewhere classified, and high physical demands. Decision latitude and social support had small protective effects, although the social support ratings obtained may have been affected by case experiences after their injuries. Other variables that were significantly associated with injury occurrence in the multivariate analyses were being male, having 1 year or less on the current job, inability to take a break when tired, and a lockout/tagout program in effect in the facility. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Epidemiology Ergonomics Forestry Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Accident-analysis Human-factors-engineering Industrial-safety-programs Lumber-industry NIOSH-Grant Risk-factors Traumatic-injuries
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports   ; Grant Final Reports  
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report ; Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Maine ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs ; OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-113
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00228285
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB95-267712
• Citation:
  Department of Work Environment, University of Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 1994 Dec; :1-113
• Contact Point Address:
  Work Environment University of Lowell One Unviversity Avenue Lowell, MA 01854
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1995
• Performing Organization:
  University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19900601
• Source Full Name:
  Department of Work Environment, University of Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
• End Date:
  19940831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ebca334515bd75d36158439a36ec2ce7f41e3f043e3ddc200cc690bd01aaf35f3bae24f5ac7320f2b7a1f17bc39ca0982dedd0cdc45cf74c5ecaf8a58a6bd346
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/217852/cdc_217852_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.49 MB ]