FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURY RATES - QUEBEC, 1981 THROUGH 1988

Objectives. The purpose of the study was to estimate the death rates f rom occupational injuries in the province of Ouebec for the period 198 1 through 1988. Methods. Worker's compensation files were used to asce rtain numbers of deaths, which were used as the numerators in figuring the rates (it was estimated that these files reported 83% of the true number of deaths among men). Annual average estimates of the labor fo rce were used as denominators. Results. From 1981 through 1988, compen sation was awarded for 1227 fatal work injuries. Among men (96% of the victims), rates declined from 1981 to 1988 (from 12.7 to 8.1 per 100 000); women's rates were stable (less-than-or-equal-to 1.0 per 100 000 ). Compared with men, women had excess mortality from violent acts. Mo tor vehicle crashes accounted for 36% of all fatal injuries in 1984 an d 1985 and declined thereafter. Fatal injury rates in forestry and min ing rose to a 1987 maximum of 67.6 per 100 000. The construction secto r had the largest number of deaths, despite a decline in rates from 19 81 to 1988 (from 27.8 to 15.9 per 100 000). Conclusions. Except for co nstruction and agriculture, reported fatal occupational injury rates i n Quebec were similar to those in the United States. Motor vehicle cra shes, falls, violent acts, and farming-related injuries were the most frequent causes of death.