COMPLETENESS OF PROVINCIAL WORKERS COMPENSATION FILES TO IDENTIFY FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES

The objective of the study was to ascertain the completeness of Worker s' Compensation files to identify fatal occupational injuries. The num ber of fatalities was counted using two independent sources: the Quebe c Workers' Compensation Board and the Coroner's Death Certificates (CD Cs), for the years 1987 and 1988. The observed number of cases was 352 . The QWCB identified 83.8% of those and CDCs 69.3%. The true number o f deaths was estimated, using the capture-recapture methods, to be bet ween 369 and 401. The compensation coverage of work-related fatalities was 66.1% in workers 55 years of age and older and 8.3% in farming oc cupations. Therefore, Workers' Compensation statistics are inadequate as the single source in these two categories and their exclusive use t hus far has led to a failure in recognizing these issues as public hea lth priorities.