Citation

Jones T, Kumar S. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 2005; 35(3): 183-196.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A comprehensive Workers Compensation Board of Alberta claims database for the plywood manufacturing industry group describing the 831 injury claims occurring from 1997 to 2002 was analyzed. The results of the study are reported with respect to: (1) claims trends in nature of injury, type of accident or exposure, source of injury, and body part injured, (2) the effect of work experience and worker age on the above classifications, (3) the impact of observed claims trends in terms of cost and duration of claim, (4) the relationship of Alberta figures to overall incidence rates of non-fatal injuries/illnesses generally, and the characteristics of those injuries/illnesses specifically, reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The majority of successful claims were experienced by males 35-44 years of age with 2-5 years of work experience. Musculoskeletal injuries were the most common nature of injury (52%) and the upper extremity was the most frequently injured region of the body (41.8%). The majority of claims were classified as medical aid (64.8%) and did not result in time loss. Comparison of the incidence rates of specific injury/illness characteristic categories observed in Alberta versus those reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the survey of occupational injuries and illness is not an accurate indication of the characteristics of accepted compensation claims in the plywood industry group of Alberta, Canada.Relevance to industryThe description of injury trends within the plywood manufacturing industry stands to positively impact the effectiveness of prevention and rehabilitation programs addressing workplace injuries and illnesses. In addition, comparison of incidence rates observed in Alberta to those estimated by the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses provides insight into the differences between the respective statistical sources.