| Fatal work injuries involving natural disasters, 1992-2006. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20081416 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
OBJECTIVE: Although a goal of disaster preparedness is to protect vulnerable populations from hazards, little research has explored the types of risks that workers face in their encounters with natural disasters. This study examines how workers are fatally injured in severe natural events. METHODS: A classification structure was created that identified the physical component of the disaster that led to the death and the pursuit of the worker as it relates to the disaster. Data on natural disasters from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for the years 1992 through 2006 were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 307 natural disaster deaths to workers were identified in 1992-2006. Most fatal occupational injuries were related to wildfires (80 fatalities), hurricanes (72 fatalities), and floods (62 fatalities). Compared with fatal occupational injuries in general, natural disaster fatalities involved more workers who were white and more workers who were working for the government. Most wildfire fatalities stemmed directly from exposure to fire and gases and occurred to those engaged in firefighting, whereas hurricane fatalities tended to occur more independently of disaster-produced hazards and to workers engaged in cleanup and reconstruction. Those deaths related to the 2005 hurricanes occurred a median of 36.5 days after landfall of the associated storm. Nearly half of the flood deaths occurred to passengers in motor vehicles. Other disasters included tornadoes (33 fatalities), landslides (17), avalanches (16), ice storms (14), and blizzards (9). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an increasing social emphasis on disaster preparation and response, there has been little increase in expert knowledge about how people actually perish in these large-scale events. Using a 2-way classification structure, this study identifies areas of emphasis in preventing occupational deaths from various natural disasters. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Gregory M Fayard |
Related Documents
:
|
3616546 - Cancer incidence of workers in the finnish pulp and paper industry. 3578286 - A case-referent study of lung tumors in non-asbestos textile workers. 23003676 - Fall scenarios in causing older women's hip fractures. 9758106 - Occupational risk factors for lung cancer: a case-control study in west germany. 19500496 - Review of the sparcl trial and its subanalyses. 18538296 - Reduction in sex-based mortality difference with implementation of new cardiology guide... |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness Volume: 3 ISSN: 1938-744X ISO Abbreviation: Disaster Med Public Health Prep Publication Date: 2009 Dec |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-01-18 Completed Date: 2010-02-23 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101297401 Medline TA: Disaster Med Public Health Prep Country: United States |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 201-9 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
University of California, Berkeley, USA. gmfayard@berkeley.edu |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Accidents, Occupational
/
mortality* Adult Burns / mortality Censuses Disasters / statistics & numerical data* Humans Occupational Exposure / adverse effects, statistics & numerical data Rescue Work / manpower* United States / epidemiology Wounds and Injuries / etiology, mortality* |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Terrorism-related injuries versus road traffic accident-related trauma: 5 years of experience in Isr...
Next Document: Perspectives of future physicians on disaster medicine and public health preparedness: challenges of...