Citation

Middleto DC, Trent RB. J. Occup. Accid. 1988; 10(2): 131-139.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Injury surveillance by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicates that an estimated 3,795,352 work injuries in 1986 were treated in hospital emergency rooms, but data is lacking on the number and timeliness of emergency medical service (EMS) responses to occupational locations. The computerized EMS data for West Virginia were obtained in order to evaluate the timeliness of emergency responses to identifiable worksites between July 1, 1984 and June 30, 1986. The analysis showed that the time required to respond to worksites and transport the patient to a hospital was often prolonged, especially when responding to mining injuries. Employers should plan for emergencies, which includes communicating with the local EMS to learn their capabilities and response time.