[Industrial hand injuries by punch machines: a case-control study].
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors associated with industrial hand injuries by punch machines.


METHODS
From September, 1999 to June, 2000, 108 patients of industrial hand injuries by punch machines were collected. For each patient, 2 controls were randomly selected. One was from the same industry; the other was from a big industry with thousands of punch machines. They matched on gender, job and age. In-person interviews were conducted to collect data on demographics, work history, work characteristics, work injuries, work organization, health behaviors, anthropometric and psychological factors. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was selected to evaluate the psychological performance. Risk factors were examined via multivariate logistic regression techniques.


RESULTS
There were four important factors affecting hand injuries by punch machines: The first was the length of service index (odds ratio [OR] = 0.972, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.957, 0.988). The second index was neuroticism (OR = 1.649, 95% CI = 1.264, 2.151). A safety equipment index (OR = 0.260, 95% CI = 0.123, 0.547) and a safety operation criterion index (OR = 0.136, 95% CI = 0.064, 0.286) were also significant factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the accident-prone population are those who have shorter service length and neurotic psychological performance. It may reduce the incidence of industrial hand injuries by punch machine to strengthen the appliance of safety equipment and enforcement of safety operation criterion, especially to the accident-prone population.
Peng
Feng
F
Hand Surgery Department, Huashan Hospital, FuDan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Chen
Lin
L
Zhao
Genming
G
Zhang
Weiwen
W
Gu
Yudong
Y
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications*