Fatal injury in tree felling and related activities, Victoria, Australia 1992-2007.
This study aims to examine fatalities resulting from tree felling and related activities in Victoria, Australia, involving work and do-it-yourself (DIY) activities, 1992-2007. Case identification was undertaken using coronial databases. A manual review of coroners' findings of closed cases was performed. Data collected and examined comprised demographics, occupation, incident location, activity, equipment used, injury mechanism and cause of death. Sixty-two cases were identified during the 16-year period; over 50% comprised DIY deaths (n=33). All but one victim was male. The median age for paid workers was less than for DIY (43 years vs 59 years). One-third of work activities were performed by persons outside professional tree-felling industries. While commercial forestry and logging industries experience a high fatality rate in Australia, non-professionals are also vulnerable to tree-felling injury. Study findings identified in excess of 70% of fatal incidents involved persons not employed within a relevant industry. Prevention efforts must focus on safety beyond workplaces and certain industries alone to reduce these deaths.
Brodie
Lisa Ruth
LR
Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. lisa.brodie@coronerscourt.vic.gov.au
Ibrahim
Joseph Elias
JE
D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D016468:Forestry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014197:Trees; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*