Injuries from tire and wheel explosions during servicing.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate injuries from tire and wheel explosions that occur during servicing.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of all injury reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.


RESULTS
For the period of 1978 through 1987, there were 694 reported injuries from explosions during tire servicing; 143 of them were fatal, resulting mainly from truck tires. Because the three data sources used different methods for case finding and covered different time periods, the actual number of such injuries was probably greater. Head injuries accounted for 78% of the deaths and 24% of nonfatal injuries. The proportion of injuries occurring during tire inflation declined from 51% in 1978 to 33% in 1987 (P less than .05). Fatal injuries involving single-piece rim wheels increased during the 1980s as multipiece rim wheels were phased out by the trucking industry.


CONCLUSIONS
Exploding truck tires and wheel rims cause serious injuries. The use of safety cages during inflation as required by a 1980 Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard appears to have reduced injuries during truck tire inflation. The use of helmets during servicing may further reduce serious injuries.
Suruda
A
A
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536.
Floccare
D
D
Smith
G
G
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D001336:Automobiles / Q000592:standards; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D003625:Data Collection; D005107:Explosions; D005121:Extremities / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality