Occupational injuries in a synthetic fibre factory in Iran.
BACKGROUND
A lack of information on the overall characteristics of work-related injuries in Iran holds back the development of effective injury prevention strategies.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate characteristics of work-related injuries in a synthetic fibre factory in Iran.


METHODS
This study reports a 16-year (1991-2007) experience of ongoing surveillance of work-related injuries in a large synthetic fibre factory. Descriptive statistics were used to show the overall characteristics of work-related injuries. Associations between external causes of injury and the odds of an accident occurring that led to hospital referral were examined using logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
In total, 836 injury events were reported. Almost half of these (46%) involved injury to hand/wrist, while about a quarter (24%) of injuries were to the head and 10% to ankle/foot. Hospital referral after an injury was related mainly to falls [odds ratio (OR) 3.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.72-6.12, P < 0.001] and to work involving moving machinery (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12-3.55, P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that falls are a serious safety concern in the workplace. The results also show that 80% of injury events affected hand/wrist, ankle/foot or head; a finding which could be used in injury prevention efforts.
Sanati
Kaveh A
KA
Department of Occupational Health, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK. kaveh.Asanati@phnt.swest.nhs.uk
Yadegarfar
Ghasem
G
Naghavi
Seyed Hamid Reza
SH
Sadr
Amir H
AH
Gholami
Mohhamad
M
Hadipour
Maryam
M
Sanati
Javad G H
JG
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013783:Textile Industry; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology*