Hospital contacts due to injuries among male drivers working for road goods-transport contractors in Denmark.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a detailed picture of injury pattern among professional goods-transport drivers in Denmark.


METHODS
For each calendar year over the period of 1995-2003, the age-standardized hospital contact ratios (SHRs) for injury were calculated for male drivers working for road goods-transport contractors in Denmark. The reference population was the male skilled/semiskilled subpopulation of the general workforce in Denmark.


RESULTS
No differences in the rate of injury-related hospital contact could be found between male goods-transport drivers and the reference population between 1995 and 1999. However, in the following period of 2000-2003, elevated rates of injury-related hospital contact were noted among goods-transport drivers, compared with the reference population. Furthermore, the injury-related SHR of goods-transport drivers showed a significant increase throughout the period of 1995-2003. Injuries to ankles/feet/toes were prominent among goods-transport drivers. Compared with the reference population, male goods-transport drivers had elevated rates of superficial injuries, dislocations/sprains/strains, fractures, and concussion. The superficial injuries were sustained most frequently in the ankles/feet/toes, open wounds in head/neck, dislocations/sprains/strains in ankles/feet/toes, and fractures in wrists/hands/fingers and ankles/feet/toes.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a clear need for efforts to prevent work injuries among goods-transport drivers. Special attention should be paid to preventing fractures in wrists/hands/fingers and ankles/feet/toes, dislocations/sprains/strains in ankles/feet/toes, open wounds in head/neck, and concussion.
Shibuya
Hitomi
H
National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark. kis@nrcwe.dk
Hannerz
Harald
H
Mikkelsen
Kim Lyngby
KL
Cleal
Bryan
B
Gubba
Lotte
L
D000328:Adult; D019992:Databases as Topic; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D014186:Transportation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology