Simo Salminen1. 1. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational Safety, Topeliuksenkatu 41b, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland. simo.salminen@ttl.fi
Abstract
PROBLEM: Two questions were posed in this global literature review: Do young workers have a higher occupational injury rate? Are the injuries of young workers more often fatal than those of older workers? METHOD: The studies of nonfatal and fatal injuries were collected based on the following criteria: (a) published in peer-reviewed journals; (b) the young workers were under 25 years of age; (c) the injury rate or fatality rate of young workers and the overall rate was published; and (d) description of the population and the number of injuries was presented. RESULTS: The majority of 63 nonfatal studies reported showed that young workers had a higher injury rate than older workers. Twenty-nine out of 45 studies on fatal occupational injuries indicated that young workers had a lower fatality rate than older workers. These results are clearer for men than for women. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The results showed that young men were a risk group for occupational injuries. However, the injuries of young workers were reported as less often fatal than those of older workers.
PROBLEM: Two questions were posed in this global literature review: Do young workers have a higher occupational injury rate? Are the injuries of young workers more often fatal than those of older workers? METHOD: The studies of nonfatal and fatal injuries were collected based on the following criteria: (a) published in peer-reviewed journals; (b) the young workers were under 25 years of age; (c) the injury rate or fatality rate of young workers and the overall rate was published; and (d) description of the population and the number of injuries was presented. RESULTS: The majority of 63 nonfatal studies reported showed that young workers had a higher injury rate than older workers. Twenty-nine out of 45 studies on fatal occupational injuries indicated that young workers had a lower fatality rate than older workers. These results are clearer for men than for women. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The results showed that young men were a risk group for occupational injuries. However, the injuries of young workers were reported as less often fatal than those of older workers.
Authors: Diana Kachan; Lora E Fleming; William G LeBlanc; Elizabeth Goodman; Kristopher L Arheart; Alberto J Caban-Martinez; Tainya C Clarke; Manuel A Ocasio; Sharon Christ; David J Lee Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2011-12-13 Impact factor: 2.214