Hospitalized nonfatal injuries in the Alaskan construction industry.
BACKGROUND
Construction industry workers are exposed to many hazards leading to fatal and nonfatal injuries. Information for nonfatal work-related injury surveillance may be vague and come from a variety of sources.


METHODS
The Alaska Trauma Registry (ATR) is used as an injury surveillance tool to focus on hospitalized nonfatal injuries in the Alaskan construction industry.


RESULTS
During 1991-1999, 717 workers in the Alaskan construction industry were hospitalized due to occupational injuries, with an average annual injury rate of 0.39 injuries/100 workers. Leading causes of injury included falls (48%) and machinery (15%). Thirty-four percent of the falls were from a building or structure, followed by falls from a ladder (24%). A fractured bone was the most common type of injury (57%).


CONCLUSIONS
Information on hospitalized patients from the ATR focuses on the more severe and debilitating injuries, and provides valuable information for prioritizing injury prevention efforts in Alaska.
Husberg
Bradley J
BJ
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA. bjh9@cdc.gov
Fosbroke
David E
DE
Conway
George A
GA
Mode
Nicolle A
NA
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D003252:Construction Materials; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000145:classification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012042:Registries; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology