OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND THEIR LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES AMONG MECHANICS AND CONSTRUCTION METAL WORKERS

A one year comprehensive material of 398 occupational injuries among m echanics and construction metal workers was analysed. Shop mechanics e xperience the highest incidence of injuries. Upper extremity laceratio ns and eye injuries were the most common injuries; the latter were mos t often caused by flying fragments or welding flashes. Handheld tools were involved in just over a quarter of the injuries, and other metal working machines in one fifth. Almost every third injured worker had s ome form of persistent medical problems 2 years after the event, and a lmost every fifth still had problems after 5 years. One third of those with persistent medical problems were forced to significantly change their leisure time habits. Two percent of the injured were granted eco nomic compensation for permanent medical impairment. Four percent of t he injured were granted pension and early retirement (caused by buck a nd knee injuries) or were forced to change jobs, due to the injury. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.