A study of occupational injuries, Bahamas

ABSTRACT

The rising incidence of occupational injuries continues to place a severe burden on the Bahamian economy. This study examined all data relating to injuries reported to the N.I.S., Bahamas (1992) for medical compensation. These secondary data were complemented with information on attitudes and perceptions towards safety in the work place obtained by use of a questionnaire administered to 69 members of the kitchen staff of two specially selected hotels in the Bahamas. The secondary data (524 injuries) revealed that the modal injuries were sprains and strains (27.9 percent). Government workers and the hotel industry accounted for 29.6 percent and 20.8 percent of the total injuries respectively. Overall, females were more likely to sustain fractures, dislocations, sprains, strains (p<0.014). Further, injuries that included sprains and strains were highly likely to affect the trunk than other parts of the body (p<0.02). The questionnaire data revealed that subjects who reported "unavailability of protective gears" and "experiencing discomfort from wearing protective gears" were more likely to report work-related injuries in the past year (p<0.02). These findings suggest the need for gender-specific interventions in relation to females and their increased susceptibility to particular injuries. Further, there is need for increased surveillance of work places to ensure the provision and use of protective gears. Also, manufacturers should give much consideration to the reports of discomfort experienced by some workers while wearing protective gear (AU)