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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe antecedents and characteristics of same level fall injuries. Fall incidents and costs were compiled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources from 2006–2010. This study indicated that over 29% of ‘fall on same level’ injuries resulted in 31 or more workdays lost. The major source of injury was ‘floors, walkways or ground surfaces’, and the most affected body parts were the lower extremities and the trunk. With regard to gender and age, female workers had the highest risk of falls, while advancing age coincided with an increase in incidence rates. Overall, workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry, the transportation and warehousing industry, and the accommodation and food services industry had the highest risk for ‘fall on same level’ injuries. Furthermore, the overall compensation cost increased by 25% from 2006–2009. Along with existing evidence, these results may facilitate the design and implementation of preventative measures in the workplace and potentially reduce fall-related compensation costs.
Practitioner Summary: This research presents a unique and detailed analysis of non-fatal ‘fall on same level’ injuries in a large population of workers from various private industries in the USA. This information can be used to prioritise designing and implementing preventive measures and to provide workers with the understanding of risk factors associated with falls in the workplace.
Acknowledgements
Funding from the NSF (Grant#CBET-0756058) and NIOSH (Grant #CDC/NIOSH-R01-OH009222) supported this research. We acknowledge the help and cooperation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Safety Council, without which this study could not have been done. Our special thanks to Marcus Newland of the Bureau of Labor Statistics for his help in preparing the data.