The association between safety climate and noncombat injury events among United States Air Force workers.

INTRODUCTION: Work-related injuries are a common lagging safety indicator whereas safety climate assessments can help identify constructs serving as leading indicators. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) partnered with the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF) Safety Center to examine the association between perceptions of safety climate survey constructs and the number of injury events within the DAF workforce. METHODS: The DAF administers voluntary, anonymous, occupation-specific safety climate surveys to DAF workers using the internal Air Force Combined Mishap Reduction System (AFCMRS). Survey responses from 2014 to 2018 provided by DAF workers and injury events in maintenance, support, and operations occupations were shared with NIOSH. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed five constructs: Leadership and Communication; Organizational Safety Priority; Error Management; Resource Adequacy; and Deployment/Official Travel Impact. Squadron-level analysis included bivariate correlations and estimated Rate Ratios (RRs). RESULTS: 1,547 squadrons administered the survey, averaging 144 workers and 15.8 reportable injuries per squadron. Higher (more favorable) squadron-level construct scores were consistently correlated with fewer reported injuries (p < 0.001). Controlling for the number of workers, RRs revealed significant reductions in injury rates with each one-unit increase in responses: Leadership and Communication RR = 0.40 (95%CI: 0.32-0.48); Organizational Safety Priority RR = 0.50 (95%CI: 0.40-0.64); Error Management RR = 0.37 (95%CI: 0.30-0.47); Deployment/Official Travel Impact RR = 0.36 (95%CI: 0.29-0.45). Resource Adequacy revealed a non-significant lower injury rate RR = 0.87 (95%CI: 0.73-1.04). CONCLUSIONS: This unique study quantified safety climate and the association with injuries across a multi-year period. While safety climate measurements may be limited by frequent turnover and the self-reported, voluntary, anonymous nature of AFCMRS, the strength of this study is in the census of injuries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Future research should include longitudinal analyses to examine the impact on injuries when squadron leaders are provided feedback on safety climate survey results.

Severe Work-Related Injuries in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industry - 32 Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Jurisdictions, United States, January 2015-July 2022.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) severe injuries reports include work-related injuries from establishments under federal OSHA jurisdiction that result in an amputation, loss of an eye, or inpatient hospitalization. Data from 32 jurisdictions were examined to determine oil and gas extraction industry-specific severe industry trends during January 2015-July 2022, using the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for oil and gas extraction. During this period, a total of 2,101 severe work-related injuries were reported in this sector. Among these severe work-related injuries, well service contract workers' injuries included the highest number of amputations (417) and hospitalizations (1,194), accounting for 20% and 57%, respectively, of all severe injuries reported. Overall, 895 (43%) of all severe injuries reported involved upper extremities. Contract workers in the service and drilling subindustries (NAICS codes 213112 and 213111, respectively) experienced disproportionately more work-related injuries compared with those in the operation subindustry (NAICS code 211). These injuries could be preventable by including contractors in worksite safety plans that administer the hierarchy of controls, are within an effective safety management system, and provide consistent safety training on work equipment, personal protective equipment, and daily site safety meetings that increase safety culture.

2022 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS): Preventing workplace injuries in a changing world.

About NOIRS: The National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) is the only conference solely dedicated to occupational injury research and prevention. The 8th NOIRS, sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and several partners, was held on May 10-12, 2022. NOIRS was held entirely virtually in response to concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic and honoring the symposium theme "Preventing Workplace Injuries in a Changing World." About this Special Issue: The intent of this issue is to highlight the breadth of high-quality presentations at NOIRS, and to make them available to those who did not participate in the conference. This issue includes three short communication articles and nine research articles. Featured research articles in this special issue span a wide variety of methods, data sources, and worker populations. They address leading and emerging causes and contributors to occupational injury in a range of industries and occupations. Concluding Remarks: We hope that this special issue provides readers with a view into some of the research presented at the 2022 NOIRS. We also hope the articles are useful for research and practice, and thinking toward the future.

Time series, seasonality and trend evaluation of 7 years (2015-2021) of OSHA severe injury data.

PROBLEM: Employers are required to report severe work-related injuries (e.g., amputation, inpatient hospitalization, or loss of an eye), to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This study examined the OSHA severe injury reports (SIRs) public microdata to understand time-related trends and patterns. METHODS: This study included all SIRs from January 2015 to December 2021 (84 months). We employed time series decomposition models (classical additive and multiplicative, X-11, and X-13ARIMA-SEATS) to evaluate monthly seasonal effect and seasonally adjusted trend of SIRs. We developed data visuals to display trends from different models with the original data series. We compared number of daily SIRs by day of the week, and yearly trends by 2-digit NAICS and separately by 1-digit OIICS injury event. RESULTS: There were a total of 70,241 SIRs in this 7 year period; ranging from 8,704 to 11,156 per year, and 600 to 1,100 per month. Seasonally adjusted trend indicated a gradual increase of SIRs over time until October 2018, then a steeper decrease until August 2020, and staying somewhat flat for the rest of the months. Seasonality indicated more SIRs were reported in the summer months (June, July, August). Daily SIRs indicated a weekday average of 34 (SD = 9) and weekend average of 11 (SD = 5). The Manufacturing and Construction industries reported the highest yearly SIRs. Contact with objects and equipment, and falls, slips, trips were the most numerous injury events associated with SIRs. DISCUSSION: Although Federal OSHA SIR data do not include SIRs from state-plan jurisdictions, the data provide a timely national trend of SIR. This is the first known time series analysis of SIRs. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The findings of this study highlight the ability of researchers to use the SIRs as a timely indicator to understand occupational injury trends by specific industries and injury events.

Construction industry workers' compensation injury claims due to slips, trips, and falls - Ohio, 2010-2017.

PROBLEM: Compared to other industries, construction workers have higher risks for serious fall injuries. This study describes the burden and circumstances surrounding injuries related to compensable slip, trip, and fall (STF) claims from private construction industries covered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. METHODS: STF injury claims in the Ohio construction industry from 2010-2017 were manually reviewed. Claims were classified as: slips or trips without a fall (STWOF), falls on the same level (FSL), falls to a lower level (FLL), and other. Claim narratives were categorized by work-related risk and contributing factors. Demographic, employer, and injury characteristics were examined by fall type and claim type (medical-only (MO, 0-7 days away from work, DAFW) or lost-time (LT, ≥8 DAFW)). Claim rates per 10,000 estimated full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) were calculated. RESULTS: 9,517 Ohio construction industry STF claims occurred during the 8-year period, with an average annual rate of 75 claims per 10,000 FTEs. The rate of STFs decreased by 37% from 2010 to 2017. About half of the claims were FLL (51%), 29% were FSL, 17% were STWOF, and 3% were "other." Nearly 40% of all STF claims were LT; mostly among males (96%). The top three contributing factors for STWOF and FSL were: slip/trip hazards, floor irregularities, and ice/snow; and ladders, vehicles, and stairs/steps for FLL. FLL injury rates per 10,000 FTE were highest in these industries: Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (52); Building Finishing Contractors (45); and Residential Building Construction (45). The highest rate of FLL LT claims occurred in the smallest firms, and the FLL rate decreased as construction firm size increased. Discussion and Practical Applications: STF rates declined over time, yet remain common, requiring prevention activities. Safety professionals should focus on contributing factors when developing prevention strategies, especially high-risk subsectors and small firms.

Comparison of Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries in the US Air Force to US Workers.

OBJECTIVE: Fingers, hands, and wrists (FHW) are the most frequently injured body parts in work-related injuries. This study described and compared FHW injuries among enlisted, officer, and civilian US Air Force (USAF) personnel to those in the US workforce. METHODS: All work-related, noncombat FHW injuries (≥1 lost workday) and demographics among USAF personnel and US workforce (2008-2018) were included. The USAF FHW injury rates were age adjusted to the US employment and compared by sex, source, event, and nature of the injuries. RESULTS: Finger, hand, and wrist injuries were significantly lower among the USAF personnel and among females. In both populations, FHW injuries from falls were higher and increased with age group among females. Males had higher overall FHW injuries from contact with objects and equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention efforts should focus on understanding risk factors and sharing successful prevention activities.

Individual, business-related, and work environment factors associated with driving tired among taxi drivers in two metropolitan U.S. cities.

INTRODUCTION: Violence-related events and roadway incidents are the leading causes of injury among taxi drivers. Fatigue is under-recognized and prevalent in this workforce and is associated with both injury outcomes. We describe the association of individual, business-related, and work environment factors with driving tired among taxi drivers in two very different cities. METHOD: We developed a comprehensive survey for licensed taxi drivers. We trained surveyors to administer the 30-min survey using systematic sampling among taxi drivers waiting for fares in two large U.S. cities: the Southwest (City 1) and the West (City 2). A driving tired scale of the Occupational Driver Behavior Questionnaire was the outcome. Multivariate logistic models described driving tired behavior in city-specific models using adjusted Odds Ratios (ORadj). RESULTS: City 1 and City 2 had 496 and 500 participants, respectively. Each driving tired behavior was significantly more prevalent in City 2 than City 1 (p < .05). There were more variables and a greater diversity of variables in the models describing drowsy driving in City 1 than City 2. In City 1, variables describing negative safety climate (ORadj = 1.15), socio-demographic groups (identifying as Asian, educational attainment), passenger-related violence (ORadj = 1.79), and company tenure (ORadj =1.15) were associated with driving tired. In City 2, high perceived safety training usefulness (ORadj = 0.48) was associated with driving tired. A risk factor for driving tired that was common to both cities was job demands (ORadj = 1.21 in City 1; 1.43 in City 2). CONCLUSIONS: These findings represent two diverse taxi populations driving in two geographically distinct regions that differ in safety regulation. It is important that safety measures that include fatigue awareness training are reaching all drivers. Fatigue management training should be integrated into driver safety programs regardless of location. Practical applications: Fatigue management strategies that recognize individual factors, business-related characteristics, and work environment are an important component of road safety and are particularly relevant for occupational drivers.

Fatal work-related falls in the United States, 2003-2014.

BACKGROUND: Falls are the second leading cause of work-related fatalities among US workers. We describe fatal work-related falls from 2003 to 2014, including demographic, work, and injury event characteristics, and changes in rates over time. METHODS: We identified fatal falls from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and estimated rates using the BLS Current Population Survey. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2014, there were 8880 fatal work-related falls, at an annual rate of 5.5 per million FTE. Rates increased with age. Occupations with the highest rates included construction/extraction (42.2 per million FTE) and installation/maintenance/repair (12.5 per million FTE). Falls to a lower level represented the majority (n = 7521, 85%) compared to falls on the same level (n = 1128, 13%). CONCLUSIONS: Falls are a persistent source of work-related fatalities. Fall prevention should continue to focus on regulation adherence, Prevention through Design, improving fall protection, training, fostering partnerships, and increasing communication.

Work-Related Violent Deaths in the US Taxi and Limousine Industry 2003 to 2013: Disparities Within a High-Risk Working Population.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the magnitude and distribution of violent work-related deaths among taxi and limousine drivers, a high-risk population. METHODS: We analyzed rates using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) for all violent work-related deaths in the taxi and limousine industry from 2003 to 2013. We described demographics, work characteristics, and other injury details, examining temporal trends for nativity and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Men (adjusted rate ratio [RRadj] 6.1 [95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6-14.1]), blacks (RRadj 2.3 [95% CI 1.6-3.4]), Hispanics (RRadj 2.1 [95% CI 1.3-3.4]), and drivers in the South (RRadj 2.7 [95% CI 1.9-3.9]) had significantly higher fatality rates than comparison groups. Over time, the rates remained substantially higher compared with all workers. CONCLUSIONS: The taxi and limousine industry continues to face a disproportionately dangerous working environment. Recommended safety measures implemented uniformly by cities, companies, and drivers could mitigate disparities.