Relationships between certain individual characteristics and occupational injuries for various jobs in the construction industry: A case-control study

• Published in: American journal of industrial medicine Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 84 - 92
• Main Authors: Chau, Nearkasen, Mur, Jean-Marie, Benamghar, Lahoucine, Siegfried, Christian, Dangelzer, Jean-Louis, Français, Martine, Jacquin, Régis, Sourdot, Alain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-01-2004; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Accidents, Occupational - classification; Accidents, Occupational - psychology; Accidents, Occupational - statistics & numerical data; Adult; Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Construction Materials - adverse effects; Construction Materials - statistics & numerical data; disabilities; experience; Facility Design and Construction - manpower; fatigue; France - epidemiology; Health Surveys; Humans; individual characteristics; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Occupational Health; occupational injury; Occupational medicine; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Factors; sleep; sleep disorders; Sleep Wake Disorders - complications; smoker; Smoking - adverse effects; sporting activities; Surveys and Questionnaires; working conditions; Wounds and Injuries - classification; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology; Wounds and Injuries - psychology; young age; France; Europe; Human; Workplace layout; Nervous system diseases; occupational injury; sleep disorders; individual characteristics; Tobacco smoking; Sleep disorder; Case control study; sporting activities; experience; Epidemiology; Construction industry; Occupational accident; Sport; disabilities; smoker; young age; Risk factor; Neurological disorder; Age; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0271-3586; 1097-0274
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.10319

Background
There is little published about the role of individual characteristics in occupational injuries. Construction workers have a high rate of injury; we assessed 11 personal characteristics in this professional sector.
Methods
A case‐control study was conducted on 880 male workers who had had at least one occupational injury during a 2‐year period and 880 controls. A questionnaire was administered by an occupational physician. Statistical analysis was made via logistic regression method.
Results
Young age (<30 years), sleep disorders and current smoker influenced all the injuries combined. Sleep disorders and young age were common risk factors for several jobs. Physical disabilities and no sporting activity had a role in masons, and 5 years or less in present job in plumbers and electricians only. Sleep disorders influenced both the injuries with and without hospitalization; young age, current smoker, and physical disability influenced those without hospitalization only.
Conclusions
Young age, sleep disorders, smoking, disabilities, sporting activity, and experience influenced the occupational injuries. The risk for each worker depended on his job. Occupational physicians could inform the workers of these risks and encourage them to take remedial action. Am. J. Ind. Med. 45:84–92, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.