[Workers' perception of exposure to workload and risks of accidents in a southern Brazilian city].
OBJECTIVE
The study of the association between workers' perceptions of occupational hazards and the risk of occupational accidents.


METHODS
Case control study.


METHODS
The cases were 264 workers who presented a "typical" occupational accident, registered at the National Institute of Social Security in the city of Pelotas, between January and July, 1996. Fatal accidents (two) were excluded, as were those leading to an absence of less than seven days from work. The cases were interviewed in their homes with a standard questionnaire. For each case, three controls were chosen: a fellow-work, a neighbor and a population control. Controls were matched to the cases by age (+/- 5 years) and sex; workers who had suffered an occupational accident in the preceding month were excluded from the control group. All cases and controls were formally employed and lived in the urban area. The data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of occupational accidents was found to double among workers who reported having faced emergency situations at work, working in high places, facing constant danger or noisy environments. Working in uncomfortable positions or intense physical activities were associated with a 50% increase in risk. The remaining occupational hazards under study were not significantly associated with the risk of accidents. All of the above results were adjusted for confounding factors.
Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e Bem-Estar Social, Pelotas, RS, Brasil. roclima@zaz.com.br
R C
RC
Lima
C G
CG
Victora
M M
MM
Dall'Agnol
L A
LA
Facchini
A G
AG
Fassa
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D016526:Workload
Percepção de exposição a cargas de trabalho e riscos de acidentes em Pelotas, RS (Brasil).