Accidents and their Effects Chapter 2 Accidents and their Effects

Major Topics Cost of accidents Work accident costs and rates Time lost because of work injuries Deaths in work accidents Parts of the body injured on the job Death rates by industry Estimating the cost of accidents

Leading Causes of Death in the United States Accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in this country after heart disease, cancer and strokes. This ranking is based on all types of accidents including motor vehicle accidents, drowning, fires, falls, natural disasters, and work-related accidents. Workplace accidents cause more than 10,000 deaths in the United States. The modern view is that accidents are too costly and that accident prevention makes sense economically.

Overall Cost of an Accident The overall cost of accidents in the United States is approximately $150 billion in a typical year. These costs include such factors as lost wages, medical expenses, insurance administration, fire-related losses, property damage and indirect costs. Fig 2-1, page 19 breaks down the cost of accidents by accident type – motor vehicle accidents cost the most, followed by workplace accidents. Fig 2-2, page 19 breaks down the cost of accidents by cost categories – wages lost cost the most, followed by medical expenses. Every dollar that is spent responding to accidents is a dollar that could have been reinvested in modernization, research and development, facilities upgrades, and other competitiveness enhancing activities.

Five Leading Causes of Accidental Deaths The five leading causes of deaths per year in the United States are: motor vehicle accidents (47,000) falls (13,000) poisoning (7,000) drowning (5,000) and fire-related injuries (4,000).

Leading Cause of Death of People between 25 and 44 Although there are more deaths each year from heart disease, cancer and strokes, among people 37 years and younger accidents are the number one cause of death (fig 2-3 page 20). Workplace accidents cost employers millions every year. Arco Chemical Company was ordered to pay $3.48 million in fines as a result of failing to protect workers from an explosion at its petrochemical plant in Channelview, Texas.

Today’s rate of accidental work death compared to 1900s As the amount of attention given to workplace safety and health has increased, the accident rate has decreased. Between 1912 and 1998 accidental work deaths per 100,000 population was reduced by 81%, from 21 to 4. In 1998 there were approximately 10,000 work deaths, costing $48.5 billion.

Five leading cause of Work Deaths In a typical year there are 10,400 work deaths in the United States. The five leading causes of work deaths are: motor vehicles (37.2%) falls (12.5%) electric current (3.7%) drowning (3.2%) and fire related (3.1%) (fig 2-4 page 22).

Five Leading Causes of Work Injuries The most common causes of work injuries are: Overexertion Impact accidents (power tools) Falls Bodily reaction (to chemicals) Compression (something falling on you)

Death Rates by Industry Type When death rates are computed by industry each year per 100,000 workers the rankings are: 1. Mining/quarrying 2. Agriculture 3. Construction 4. Transportation/public utilities 5. Government

Ranking of Body Parts According to Frequency of Injury In order to develop and maintain an effective safety and health program it is necessary to know the most common causes of death and injury, and the parts of the body most frequently injured. Disabling work injuries in 1998 was approximately 1.75 million. 10,400 were fatal and 60,000 resulted in some permanent impairment. Most frequent injured parts of body: 1. Back 2. Legs and Fingers 3. Arms and multiple parts of body 4. Trunk 5. Hands 6. Eyes, head, and feet 7. Neck, toes and body system.

Chemical Burns in the Workplace The greatest incidence of chemical burn injuries occur in manufacturing, services, trade and construction. Chemicals that most frequently cause chemical burns are acids and alkalis; soaps, detergents, and cleaning compounds; solvents and degreasers; calcium hydroxide (used in cement and plaster); potassium hydroxide (used in drain cleaners); and sulfuric acid( battery acid). Almost 46% of all chemical burn injuries occur while workers are cleaning equipment, tools and vehicles.

Heat Burn Injuries in the Workplace Almost 40% of all such injuries occur in manufacturing each year. The most common causes are flame (includes smoke inhalation injuries), molten metal, petroleum asphalts, steam, and water. The most common activities associated with heat burn injuries are welding, cutting with a torch, and handling tar or asphalt.

RSI (Repetitive Strain/Soft Tissue Injuries) and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) RSI is a broad and generic term that encompasses a variety of injuries resulting from cumulative trauma to the soft tissue of the body; generally of the hands, arms, neck, and shoulders. CTS is the most widely known RSI. Carpel tunnel is the area of the wrist through which the median nerve passes. Symptoms of CTS include numbness, a tingling sensation, and pain in the fingers, hand, or wrist.

Summary The approximate cost of accidents in the United State is $ 150 billion annually. The leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States are motor vehicle accidents, and falls. The leading causes of deaths in work accidents are motor vehicle related, falls, and electric current. The leading causes of work injuries are overexertion, impact accidents, falls, and motor vehicle accidents. Industries with highest death rates are mining/quarrying, agriculture, construction, transportation, utilities, and manufacturing. Most injuries are to the back, legs and fingers, and arms.

Questions Answer questions 2, 3, 7 ,8, 9, and 12 on pages 30-31. 2. When the overall cost of an accident is calculated, what elements make up the cost? 3. What are the 5 leading causes of accident deaths in the United States? 7. What are the five leading causes of work injuries by type of accident? 8. When death rates are classified by industry type, what are the three leading industry types? 9. Rank the following body parts according to the frequency of injury from highest to lowest: neck, fingers, trunk, back, and eyes. 12. Explain the difference between RSI and carpal tunnel syndrome.