Evaluation of occupational injuries among young workers in West Virginia

We compared workplace injuries between young (16 to 19 years of age) and ad ult workers using West Virginia Workers' Compensation database. All workers injured between January 1 and December 31, 1995 were included in the analy sis. The industry-specific injury incidence rates between young and adults workers were significantly different with lower rates of injury in young wo rkers in all sectors except service sector. In the service sector the young workers had significantly higher injury rates than adults (rate ratios for young workers were 2.28, 1.92, and 2.94 when compared with age groups 20-2 4, 25-34, and >34, respectively). Estimates of the proportional injury rati o (PIR) indicated significantly greater risk of finger (PIR 1.62) and hand (PIR 1.66) injuries and burns (PIR 3.27) and lacerations (PIR 1.69) in the young workers. The proportion of injuries occurring in the summer months wa s higher in the young than in the adults (35.2% vs. 27.0%), particularly in the service sector (79.6% vs. 25.9%). Higher injury rates in young workers compared to adults in the service sector may be explained by the seasonal employment of young workers in West Virginia.