Citation

Beery L, Harris JR, Collins JW, Current RS, Amendola AA, Meyers AR, Wurzelbacher SJ, Lampl M, Bertke SJ. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2014; 57(11): 1265-1275.

Affiliation

Emory Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory Center for Injury Control, Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ajim.22360

PMID

25123487

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Stationary sawing machinery is often a basic tool in the wood product manufacturing industry and was the source for over 2,500 injury/illness events that resulted in days away from work in 2010.

METHODS: We examined 9 years of workers' compensation claims for the state of Ohio in wood product manufacturing with specific attention to saw-related claims. For the study period, 8,547 claims were evaluated; from this group, 716 saw-related cases were examined.

RESULTS: The sawmills and wood preservation sub-sector experienced a 71% reduction in average incidence rate and an 87% reduction in average lost-time incidence rate from 2001 to 2009. The top three injury category descriptions for lost-time incidents within saw-related claims were fracture (35.8%), open wounds (29.6%), and amputation (14.8%).

CONCLUSIONS: For saw-related injuries, preventing blade contact remains important but securing the work piece to prevent kickback is also important. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en