Profile, risk factors and outcome of occupational injuries reported to the emergency department in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Abstract

India is an industrialised country and most work is labour intensive. There is very scarce data on occupation related injuries. To evaluate the prevalence, profile, severity and risk factors for occupational injuries presenting to the emergency medicine department of a tertiary care hospital. A cross-sectional study was done in the emergency department of Christian Medical College, Vellore among the patients who presented with occupational injuries. The risk factors for occupational injuries like age, gender, shift work, work experience and type of work and their severity and outcome were evaluated. Older age group, working in shift duty, working longer hours were significant risk factors for occupational injuries. Training and use of safety protective measures will decrease occupational injuries.