The New Zealand child work-related fatal injury study: 1985-1998.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the numbers and rates of work-related fatal injury for children under the age of 15 years.


METHODS
Potential cases of work-related injury deaths of persons aged <15 years of age were identified from the national electronic mortality data-files for the period 1985-1998 inclusive. The circumstances of the death in each fatality incident were reviewed directly from coronial files to determine work-relatedness.


RESULTS
A total of 87 workplace work-related fatalities were identified. The vast majority of children identified were fatally injured while a bystander to another person's work. Workplace bystander involvement was found to vary by age, with the majority of workers identified aged 10-14 years old. With a third of all fatalities, the agricultural industry was the most common industry for workplace work-related fatalities in children. In the period 1985-94, children <15 years of age were found to account for 46% of New Zealand's total workplace bystander deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
Children contribute significantly to the overall burden of work-related fatal injury in New Zealand, especially as bystanders to other people's work. The high contribution to bystander deaths by children aged <15 years suggests that hazard control in certain work settings is lacking.
Lilley
Rebbecca
R
New Zealand Environmental and Occupational Health Research Centre, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. rebecca.lilley@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
Feyer
Anne-Marie
AM
Langley
John
J
Wren
John
J
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011998:Recreation; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014937:Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control