Retrospective Risk Assessment of Injuries and Fatalities in the Forestry and Logging Workforce in the United States, 2003-2019.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study on the forestry and logging workforce are to: 1) Analyze causes of injuries/fatalities to inform future intervention studies focused on risk mitigation, 2) determine whether there are any trends or associations between work-related risk factors and workplace injuries/fatalities over a 16-year period (2003-2019), and 3) identify knowledge gaps related to injuries and fatalities for future studies to address. METHODS: Data on fatalities, injuries, and illnesses of the forestry and logging workforce from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics were analyzed. Correlation analysis (p < .05) was conducted to assess the relationship between causes of forestry and logging workforce fatalities by cause of fatality in the United States. Injury and fatality rates were calculated for each year (fatalities: 2003-2018; injuries: 2005-2019) and time span-specific incidence rates were calculated by cause. RESULTS: Contact with objects and equipment was the primary cause of injuries and fatalities in the forestry and logging workforce during the study period. Transportation-related incidents ranked second as the cause of fatalities, while the category of falls, slips, and trips was the second leading cause of injuries. CONCLUSION: Gaps in occupational health and safety identified by this study should be collaboratively addressed by researchers and the forestry industry.

Counting Farm Injuries and Fatalities: An Assessment of Irish Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance Data Systems.

OBJECTIVE: Generation of reliable data underpins the effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) surveillance systems. Despite the importance of understanding OHS data systems, there are few papers that provide overviews of their structure and/or content. This paper introduces a basic framework for assessing OHS data systems that will be of use to researchers internationally. We applied this approach to assess the Irish OHS data system by undertaking a data mapping exercise. METHOD: We developed a checklist based on recommendations of monitoring and measurement of OHS proposed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (USA). An assessment of published reports that present systematic OHS surveillance data was undertaken to identify the institutions or organisations responsible for collecting and curating the data, their remit, and, associated with this, their respective case definitions. We then provide an overview of the variables collected and these are then mapped against the checklist. RESULTS: The assessment highlights that whilst the farm fatalities dataset provides complete coverage of all fatalities, regardless of age or employment status, the same is not true of the three non-fatal injuries datasets reviewed. There are important differences in the data collection methods and, associated with this, which populations are covered. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The assessment approach provides valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of a critical element of OHS surveillance systems, namely the production of datasets. This knowledge is important for researchers as understanding the data that informs their research is fundamental to good science. It is critical for policy-makers and other stakeholders to understand the strengths and weaknesses on which OHS policy, strategies, or education and training interventions are developed.

Individual and organizational factors associated with injury history and patient handling behaviors: Results from a nationwide survey of healthcare workers.

With proper compliance, safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM) programs reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). To better understand individual, environmental, and organizational factors associated with both the adoption of SPHM and prevalence of MSDs, a nationwide online survey was administered. 973 healthcare workers (HCWs) completed the survey, for which 59.6% reported past work-related MSDs or pain. Among those with pain or injury, 33.3% changed roles, 79.7% worked while injured, and only 30.9% reported workers' compensation claims. Less than half of HCWs agreed that SPHM equipment is readily available, and most considered manually handling patients weighing over 91 kg acceptable. Equipment availability, ceiling lift availability, supervisor encouragement, and annual training were associated with increased use of SPHM equipment. Availability of SPHM equipment reduced the likelihood of injured nurses changing roles. Despite overall agreement that SPHM programs are beneficial, common clinical practice remains insufficient to adequately protect HCWs from risk of injury.

Mining Injuries 2012-2019: Using Workers' Compensation Claims Data From 35 States to Identify Rates and Costs Associated by Nature of Injury, Event/Exposure, and Body Part Affected.

OBJECTIVE: This study summarized the frequency and cost of mining-related injuries. METHODS: Mining-related workers' compensation (WC) claims data from 35 states were summarized to report counts, claim rates, and costs for 2012-2019. These data were compared with Mine Safety and Health Administration injury and employment data for the same period. RESULTS: Despite system differences, both WC and Mine Safety and Health Administration counts and rates declined over time and injury patterns were similar. Total WC costs were approximately $2.325B. Medical-only claims represented 59.4% of the claims by count, but only 3.3% of costs. Lost-time nonfatal claims represented 40.2% of the claims by count, but 90.2% of costs. Claims frequency and costs varied greatly by injury event/exposure, part of body, and nature. CONCLUSIONS: Injury frequency has declined but costs remain high. The most costly and disabling cases were identified.

Prevalence of occupational moral injury and post-traumatic embitterment disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Occupational moral injury and post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) describe the psychological distress caused by exposure to injustice at work. This meta-analysis aims to determine the prevalence of occupational moral injury and PTED and establish whether prevalence estimates differ depending on occupation. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Google Scholar, PubMed, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Sage Journals Online were searched in June 2020 and updated in November 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Observational studies that measured prevalence or average scores of moral injury, or PTED in any occupational group and any geographical location. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers screened and coded eligible studies. Study design, participant demographics, sampling method, location, measurement tool and prevalence or average scores were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Checklist for Prevalence Studies tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models. Results that could not be combined were summarised qualitatively in a narrative synthesis using the Guidance for Systematic Reviews. RESULTS: In total, 88 studies across armed forces and veterans, healthcare, first responders, educators, journalists, child protection service employees, the unemployed, public-sector employees and mixed occupations were included. Studies included in each separate meta-analysis based on the measure used ranged from 2 to 30. The pooled prevalence of clinically relevant moral injury in healthcare professionals was 45%, and exposure to any potentially morally injurious event (PMIE) across occupations was 67%. Exposure to transgressions by others and betrayal was significantly lower in the armed forces than civilian occupations. Pooled prevalence of PTED across occupations was 26%. CONCLUSION: Exposure to PMIEs, moral injury symptoms and PTED are prevalent at work and exposure to transgressions by others and betrayal are more likely in civilian occupations than the armed forces. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020191766.

Work Disability Duration Among Mobile Workers: Does Intraprovincial Mobility Matter as Much as Interprovincial Mobility?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to compare work disability duration of intraprovincially and interprovincially mobile workers with nonmobile workers in British Columbia, Canada. METHODS: Workers' compensation claims were extracted for workers injured between 2010 and 2019. Employer and residential postal codes were converted to economic regions to define nonmobile, intraprovincially, and interprovincially mobile workers. Quantile regression models using matched cohorts were used to estimate differences in work disability days at different percentiles of the distribution. RESULTS: Compared with nonmobile workers, both mobile worker groups had longer work disability durations, particularly interprovincially mobile workers. Differences persisted in injury-stratified models and were partially or fully attenuated in some industry-stratified models. CONCLUSIONS: Workers' compensation systems, employers, and healthcare providers may need to tailor specific interventions for mobile workers who are from out-of-province as well as traveling between regions in the province.

Assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with burns injuries during the COVID-19 epidemic: A critical topic for burn survivors.

PURPOSE: It is well known that the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) epidemic had an adverse effect on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with disabilities, or neurological or chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the possible factors affecting HRQOL in patients with burn injuries during COVID-19 epidemic. METHODS: The study included a total of 40 burns patients. The demographic and burn injury information of the patients were recorded. The active range of motion was measured with a goniometer. The HRQOL, community integration, scar tissue quality and anxiety level were evaluated using the Burn-Specific Health Scale (BSHS), the Community Integration Questionnaire Revised (CIQ-R), Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. RESULTS: The history of COVID-19 infection, total burn surface area (TBSA), community integration level, work-related burns, the presence of trunk burn injury, the presence of face burn injury, and the presence of a major burn injury were determined to be significantly associated with the HRQOL of burns patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The history of COVID-19 infection, community integration level, and burn-related parameters (TBSA, localization, severity etc.) were found to be factors associated with the HRQOL during the epidemic. The history of COVID-19 and community integration level should be evaluated in addition to the burn injury parameters to improve the quality of life of burn survivors. It can be recommended that these clinical parameters should be considered when planning the treatment program during and after the epidemic.

Using State Agency Reports to Augment Ohio's Agricultural Injury Surveillance Efforts.

BACKGROUND: Agriculture is a hazardous industry with undocumented injury events. Credible surveillance measures are critical for this industry, especially to guide injury prevention programs with targeted recommendations for specific commodity groups and populations. This multi-phase study explored the feasibility for two state agency databases, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Program and the Emergency Medical Services Incident Reporting System (EMSIRS), to augment the state's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual reports. METHODS: BWC data described injury claims in agricultural workplaces from 1999 to 2008. State EMSIRS data described the types of medical emergencies for which EMS services were requested to Ohio farms in 2013-2014. Descriptive analyses were performed on each distinctive source. RESULTS: Over 14,000 BWC claims were analyzed, with primary nature of injury identified as sprains and strains of bodily extremities; falls were the most common cause of injury. The EMSIRS data provided 1,376 cases, where EMS services were requested to Ohio farms at injury onset. Some cases had possibility to be excluded in CFOI or employment claims data, with 24% patients 65 years and older and 6% children 13 years and younger. The primary cause of injury was falls, and the highest reported injury type was blunt trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Both BWC and EMSIRS databases showed the potential to enhance Ohio's agricultural surveillance data with viable information not found in previously used systems. Each agency database had its own merits to further clarify and quantify morbidity. When used together, these sources enrich surveillance statistics to describe Ohio's agricultural injury incidents.

HOW TO PREVENT HAND INJURIES - REVIEW OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA IS THE FIRST STEP IN HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT.

BACKGROUND: Hand injuries are common affecting all ages, genders, and geographic regions. They can result in long term disability and mortality, while they place a significant financial burden in society. Although, hand injuries can be prevented. Preventive strategies can be designed, but knowledge of injuries' epidemiological characteristics is required beforehand. METHODS: We performed a review of the current literature related to hand injuries to identify their incidence, patients' demographics, type, mode, and time of the injury. RESULTS: Hand injuries constitute 6.6% to 28.6% of all injuries presenting to the Emergency Department and 28% of injuries to the musculoskeletal system. They mainly affect young male labourers. Occupational and home accidents are the commonest injury modalities, while traffic road accidents constitute a significant reason for hand injuries as well. Lacerations account for most hand injuries, followed by crush injuries, fractures and amputations. Most occupational injuries occur in the beginning of the week and especially during the morning shift, while there has been identified an increase in the number of hand injuries during the summer months. CONCLUSIONS: Hand injuries are an important health problem with impact on patient's life and on the society. Although they can be prevented. Preventive strategies need to be addressed towards many directions and people's activities, since prevention will have an important impact on people's quality of life and society's well-being.

Global-, regional- and country-level estimates of the work-related burden of diseases and accidents in 2019.

OBJECTIVE: This study provides the global-, regional- and country-level estimates on the work-related burden of diseases and accidents for 2019, including deaths, disability adjusted life years (DALY) and economic losses. METHODS: Data on occupational illnesses and injuries from international organizations, institutions, and public websites were used. Risk ratios (RR) and population attributable fractions (PAF) for the risk factor-outcome pairs were derived from the literature. Estimated mortality and DALY for a group of seven major diseases covering 120 risk-outcome pairs attributable to work were calculated for 181 countries. RESULTS: Globally, 2.9 million deaths were attributed to work, with 2.58 million deaths due to work-related diseases and 0.32 million related to occupational injuries. Globally, work-related diseases with a long latency period are increasing, while the number of occupational injuries has decreased. Work-related circulatory diseases were the major cause of 912 000 deaths globally, followed by 843 000 work-related malignant neoplasms. In high-income, American, Eastern European and Western Pacific World Health Organization (WHO) regions, however, work-related malignant neoplasms comprised the biggest disease group. DALY attributable to work were estimated to be 180 million in 2019, with an associated economic loss of 5.8% of global GDP. New estimates of psychosocial factors increased the global loss. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of work-related diseases and injuries increased by 26% from 2.3 million annual deaths in 2014 to 2.9 million in 2019. The DALY attributable to work have also substantially increased from 123 million in 2014 to 180 million in 2019 (47% increase). We found large regional and country variations.

An increase in animal-related occupational injuries at a veterinary medical center (2008-2022).

OBJECTIVE: To characterize animal-related injuries in veterinary medical center staff at a veterinary medical center. SAMPLE: 706 hospital staff injuries. METHODS: Deidentified injury reports were submitted to Human Resources from 2008 through 2022. Injury data collected included the injury description, date of injury, occupation, and worker's compensation claim information. Data were summarized by year, cause of injury, total cost associated with injury, and occupation. RESULTS: There was an increase in injuries reported in recent years when compared to past years, with the plurality of injuries being bite injuries, specifically occurring on the hand, finger, and wrist area. Bite injuries had a higher average total worker's compensation cost paid to staff than striking injuries. There were more injuries reported by staff who had less experience working with animals. More injuries occurred during the summer months (June through September). There was not an unusual trend in the reporting of injuries due to COVID-19. Other injuries (eg, needlesticks and falls) were reported from only 2019 to 2022, but constituted a substantial burden for staff. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings can help stakeholders at teaching hospitals and veterinary clinics to take steps toward creating a safer workplace environment for employees. It is important to identify work hazards and provide proper training and prevention methods to reduce the risk of injuries, especially among less experienced employees. Proper prevention methods will help reduce worker's compensation costs for the teaching hospital and reduce the number of workdays missed by staff.

Overview of Occupational Injuries Among Registered Nurses in Washington State, 2007 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: Registered nurses (RNs) represent the largest segment of the health care workforce and have unique job demands and occupational health considerations. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence, cost, and causes of occupational injuries among RNs in Washington State and to quantify the cumulative cost and burden of each type of injury, relative to all injuries among RNs. METHODS: Annual injury claims data covered under Washington State workers' compensation (WC) fund were analyzed over a 13-year period (2007-2019). Annual mean incidence and cost of injuries were calculated and stratified by nature, source, and event/exposure. Negative binomial regression models were used to examine trends in injury incidence over time, for injury incidence overall, and by the most common injury classifications. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2019, 10,839 WC claims were filed and accepted for Washington State RNs (annual M = 834), totaling more than US$65 million. No significant trend in overall injury incidence was observed (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.94, 1.05]). The most common injury exposures were bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, falls, and assaults and violent acts. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first broad study of the incidence and costs of occupational injuries among RNs across all workplace settings. We identified high-cost, high-frequency incidence rates of musculoskeletal, sharp, and violence-related occupational injury claims, highlighting intervention targets. Implications for Occupational Health Practice: Policy makers, health systems, and occupational health nurse leaders can use this information to identify priority areas where evidence-based occupational health and prevention programs are most needed.

Using a severity threshold to improve occupational injury surveillance: Assessment of a severe traumatic injury-based occupational health indicator across the International Classification of Diseases lexicon transition.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injury is a leading cause of death and disability among US workers. Severe injuries are less subject to systematic ascertainment bias related to factors such as reporting barriers, inpatient admission criteria, and workers' compensation coverage. A state-based occupational health indicator (OHI #22) was initiated in 2012 to track work-related severe traumatic injury hospitalizations. After 2015, OHI #22 was reformulated to account for the transition from the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) to ICD-10-CM. This study describes rates and trends in OHI #22, alongside corresponding metrics for all work-related hospitalizations. METHODS: Seventeen states used hospital discharge data to calculate estimates for calendar years 2012-2019. State-panel fixed-effects regression was used to model linear trends in annual work-related hospitalization rates, OHI #22 rates, and the proportion of work-related hospitalizations resulting from severe injuries. Models included calendar year and pre- to post-ICD-10-CM transition. RESULTS: Work-related hospitalization rates showed a decreasing monotonic trend, with no significant change associated with the ICD-10-CM transition. In contrast, OHI #22 rates showed a monotonic increasing trend from 2012 to 2014, then a significant 50% drop, returning to a near-monotonic increasing trend from 2016 to 2019. On average, OHI #22 accounted for 12.9% of work-related hospitalizations before the ICD-10-CM transition, versus 9.1% post-transition. CONCLUSIONS: Although hospital discharge data suggest decreasing work-related hospitalizations over time, work-related severe traumatic injury hospitalizations are apparently increasing. OHI #22 contributes meaningfully to state occupational health surveillance efforts by reducing the impact of factors that differentially obscure minor injuries; however, OHI #22 trend estimates must account for the ICD-10-CM transition-associated structural break in 2015.

Relationship of personal, situational, and environmental factors to injury experience in commercial fishing.

INTRODUCTION: Commercial fishing work involves a variety of activities and is hazardous. While much is understood to mitigate fatalities in this industry, research must further explore nonfatal injury characteristics, factors related to injury, and potential injury prevention strategies. This paper determines if fishing experience is associated with injury risk and explores common work activities associated with injury. METHOD: Key informant interviews and a survey of fishermen were conducted to refine work activity codes and collect injury experiences. Independent sample t-tests compared the means of the years fishing by injury incident for all crab fishermen then stratified by position. Descriptive statistics explored the nature of injury in relation to work activity. RESULTS: The level of experience was significantly lower for injured fishermen compared to fishermen who reported no injuries, but when stratified by position at the time of the injury, the association of injury to experience was only significant for owners. This stratified result demonstrates that the work activity, rather than experience, drives the apparent relationship of experience to injury. Being tired (24%) and weather (26%) were indicated as contributing factors at the time of injury. CONCLUSION: Modifying the work environment to better control hazards would benefit all fishermen, regardless of their experience, age, or position. Further work into effective interventions that fishermen would adopt is needed to reduce injury risk. Any formal or informal training of new fishermen should focus on the most hazardous activities, but more experienced fishermen would also benefit. Additionally, effective training or interventions for fatigue management, and decision support tools for weather- and navigation-related decisions would further reduce risk of at sea injuries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Injury prevention training, for all fishermen, regardless of their position and years of experience, should cover the most hazardous tasks, fatigue risk management strategies, and weather decisions.

The burden of occupational injury attributable to high temperatures in Australia, 2014-19: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the population health impact of high temperatures on workplace health and safety by estimating the burden of heat-attributable occupational injury in Australia. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING: Retrospective observational study; estimation of burden of occupational injury in Australia attributable to high temperatures during 2014-19, based on Safe Work Australia (work-related traumatic injury fatalities and workers' compensation databases) and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data (Australian Burden of Disease Study and National Hospital Morbidity databases), and a meta-analysis of climate zone-specific risk data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Burden of heat-attributable occupational injuries as disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), comprising the numbers of years of life lived with disability (YLDs) and years of life lost (YLLs), nationally, by Köppen-Geiger climate zone, and by state and territory. RESULTS: During 2014-19, an estimated 42 884 years of healthy life were lost to occupational injury, comprising 39 485 YLLs (92.1%) and 3399 YLDs (7.9%), at a rate of 0.80 DALYs per 1000 workers per year. A total of 967 occupational injury-related DALYs were attributable to heat (2.3% of occupational injury-related DALYs), comprising 890 YLLs (92%) and 77 YLDs (8%). By climate zone, the heat-attributable proportion was largest in the tropical Am (12 DALYs; 3.5%) and Aw zones (34 DALYs; 3.5%); by state and territory, the proportion was largest in New South Wales and Queensland (each 2.9%), which also included the largest numbers of heat-attributable occupational injury-related DALYs (NSW: 379 DALYs, 39% of national total; Queensland: 308 DALYs; 32%). CONCLUSION: An estimated 2.3% of the occupational injury burden in Australia is attributable to high ambient temperatures. To prevent this burden increasing with global warming, adaptive measures and industry-based policies are needed to safeguard workplace health and safety, particularly in heat-exposed industries, such as agriculture, transport, and construction.

The Relative Burden of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in Firefighters: An Analysis of Washington Workers' Compensation Claims, 2006-2020.

Firefighters face many hazards on the job and have a high rate of work-related injuries and illnesses (WRII). We analyzed Washington workers' compensation claims from 2006-2020 to characterize WRII in firefighters compared to law enforcement officers and "all other" workers. There were 9187 compensable claims for firefighters, 7801 for law enforcement officers, and 586,939 for "all other" workers. Nearly 40% of claims for firefighters were work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The claim rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) firefighters was 716.4, which is significantly higher than that of law enforcement officers (510.0) and "all other" workers (163.2). The rate per 10,000 FTE of WMSD claims was also higher in firefighters (277.0) than in law enforcement officers (76.2) and "all other" workers (57.6). Additional WRII among firefighters commonly included being struck or caught in objects, slipping or tripping, and exposure to caustic or noxious substances; and amongst law enforcement, transportation accidents and violence. Medical costs and time-loss days per claim were lower for firefighters and law enforcement than for "all other" workers. Common tasks associated with WMSDs in firefighters included lifting and transporting patients, using specific tools and equipment, and physical training. WMSDs stand out as an area for prevention and intervention activities.

Workers' compensation claims for COVID-19 among workers in healthcare and other industries during 2020-2022, Victoria, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterise COVID-19 workers' compensation claims in healthcare and other industries during the pandemic in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: We used workers' compensation claims identified as COVID-19 infection related from 1 January 2020 to 31 July 2022 to compare COVID-19 infection claims and rates of claims by industry and occupation, and in relation to Victorian COVID-19 epidemiology. A Cox proportional hazards model assessed risk factors for extended claim duration. RESULTS: Of the 3313 direct and indirect COVID-19-related claims identified, 1492 (45.0%) were classified as direct COVID-19 infection accepted time-loss claims and were included in analyses. More than half (52.9%) of COVID-19 infection claims were made by healthcare and social assistance industry workers, with claims for this group peaking in July-October 2020. The overall rate of claims was greater in the healthcare and social assistance industry compared with all other industries (16.9 vs 2.4 per 10 000 employed persons) but industry-specific rates were highest in public administration and safety (23.0 per 10 000 employed persons). Workers in healthcare and social assistance were at increased risk of longer incapacity duration (median 26 days, IQR 16-61 days) than in other industries (median 17 days, IQR 11-39.5 days). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 infection claims differed by industry, occupational group, severity and timing and changes coincided with different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational surveillance for COVID-19 cases is important and monitoring of worker's compensation claims and incapacity duration can contribute to understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on work absence.

Occupational injuries and illnesses among law enforcement officers, 2001-2019: Findings from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

BACKGROUND: Occupational injuries are common among law enforcement officers (LEOs) and can impact an agency's ability to serve communities. Workers' compensation (WC) data are an underutilized source for occupational injury surveillance in the law enforcement field. METHODS: LEOs WC claims from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) from 2001 to 2019 were identified based on manual review of the occupation title and injury description. Worker, employer, incident, and injury characteristics were described by claim type-medical-only (MO) and lost-time (8 or more days away from work). Data are presented using injury claim counts. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2019, 50,793 WC claims were identified among Ohio LEOs. Of these, 68% were MO claims (n = 34,622). WC claims significantly decreased over the 19-year period (p < 0.001). Seventy-five percent of WC claims were from a LEO with more than one claim and of these, 34% were from a LEO with five or more claims during the study period. Male officers and those aged 25-54 years incurred the highest proportion of total claims (87.8% & 91.8%, respectively). Violence (n = 17,247; 34%), falls/slips/trips (n = 9079; 17.9%), and transportation events (n = 7977; 15.7%) were the leading events. Among the 50,793 claims, there were 79,637 unique clinical diagnosis groups. The most common injury diagnoses were sprains (n = 32,796; 41.2%) followed by contusions (n = 13,529; 17%). CONCLUSIONS: Results can guide the development or improvement of workplace injury prevention strategies for LEOs. Efforts should be focused on better understanding and preventing violent injury events and sprains among LEOs, as well as preventing multiple injury events.

Impact of COVID-19 on occupational injuries and illnesses among nursing care facility workers: Analysis of California workers' compensation data, 2019-2021.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic greatly affected healthcare workers, both physically and psychologically, by increasing their workload and stress. This may also have increased their risk of occupational injuries. This study analyzed workers' compensation (WC) claims among California nursing care facility workers during 2019-2021, to assess the impact of the pandemic on occupational injury risk. METHODS: This study used data from the California Workers' Compensation Information System. WC claims in prepandemic and pandemic periods were described and compared between nursing care facilities and other settings. Nursing facility cases were described by demographic, job, and injury characteristics. RESULTS: In 2019-2021, we identified 41,134 claims as nursing facility cases in California. Annual claims increased by 64.6% from 2019 to 2020 and then decreased in 2021, returning to levels similar to pre-COVID. In contrast, non-healthcare settings had decreases in claims during the pandemic. COVID-related claims accounted for 50.5% of claims in nursing facilities in 2020-2021; this proportion was much higher compared with other healthcare (35.7%) or nonhealthcare settings (14.3%). Non-COVID claims decreased during the pandemic but mental disorder or stress claims increased in nursing facilities, particularly in 2020 (+42.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that nursing care facilities were more severely affected by the pandemic than other settings. We did not find evidence of an increased risk of occupational injuries during the pandemic, except for increased claims for stress or mental disorders. Our findings indicate a clear need to address psychological stress and mental health among nursing facility workers during a pandemic.