Robbery characteristics and employee injuries in convenience stores.
BACKGROUND
Each year approximately 30,000 convenience store employees are at risk for injuries related to robberies and many are fatal.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study of 460 convenience store robberies from 1 February 1995 to 30 September 1996 was conducted to uncover possible associations between injury and pertinent robbery circumstances and work environments. Data collection sources included police reports, employee interviews, store evaluations, and relevant Census data. Rate ratios and correlation statistics were calculated to identify associations with injury and relationships between variables.


RESULTS
Injury risk was strongly associated with the following characteristics: employee resistance, robberies without firearms or money taken, daytime and merchandise robberies, stores with limited escape routes and no cash policy or drop safe, older clerks, and surrounding areas with lower valued buildings, less expensive rent, more vacant structures, and younger residents. Numerous intercorrelations between these characteristics were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Training opportunities, store procedures, and environmental designs are important factors to consider in reducing robbery-related injuries.
Faulkner
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KA
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
Landsittel
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DP
Hendricks
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013800:Theft / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology