S. Kinn et al., Evaluation of safety orientation and training programs for reducing injuries in the plumbing and pipefitting industry, J OCCUP ENV, 42(12), 2000, pp. 1142-1147
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health
Journal title
JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
Construction workers are at increased risk for fatal and non-fatal injuries
. This study examined the effectiveness of employee orientation and trainin
g in reducing injuries among plumbers and pipefitters. We searched the Occu
pational Safety and Health Administration's "recordable" injury data and "d
ocumentable" safety and training records for six plumbing and pipefitting e
mployers in northwestern Ohio. During the period 1996 to 1998, 133 injuries
were recorded with the duration of 2,541,432 working hours. The most commo
n types of injuries were cuts, lacerations, and abrasions. The majority of
injuries resulted from workers being struck by objects. The injury rate was
significantly higher for small companies and longer working hours. No diff
erence was found between traveling and local workers. Seventy-five percent
of workers received safety orientations on injury prevention. Among workers
who received safety orientations, only 3.4% experienced injuries, compared
with 11.1 % of workers without orientations. Safety orientations were asso
ciated with a significant reduction in injuries (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% % co
nfidence interval, 0.15 to 0.35). Proper safety orientation and training co
uld reduce the risks for occupational injuries in construction workers.