Fatal occupational injuries in the Arkhangelsk region, Northwest Russia.
BACKGROUND
Occupational deaths are used as indicators of occupational safety worldwide. The Arkhangelsk region is among the areas with the highest burden of fatal occupational injuries (FOI) in Russia.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the occurrence of FOI in the Arkhangelsk region in 1996-2007.


METHODS
Data on all FOI reported in the Arkhangelsk region in 1996-2007 were obtained from the State Labour Inspection. Data on the number of employees were collected at the Regional Federal State Statistics Service. The incidence of FOI was calculated by gender, age and economic activity per 100,000 employees. Blood alcohol concentration for all victims was available from the autopsy records.


RESULTS
Altogether, there were 734 occupational fatalities during the study period, 94% of them were among men. The incidence of FOI decreased from 18.6 (95% CI 14.6-23.6) in 1996 to 11.7 (95% CI 8.5-16.0) in 2007 among men and from 1.3 (95% CI 0.5-3.2) in 1996 to 0.3 (95% CI 0.1-1.7) in 2006 among women. The agriculture, hunting and forestry sector had the highest incidence of FOI, but they also showed a decrease in FOI from 43.9 (95% CI 32.3-65.3) in 1996 to 20.8 (95% CI 12.0-36.1) in 2007. The highest proportion of FOI occurred on Tuesdays (17%) and Wednesdays (18%). Thirty two of the victims had blood alcohol concentration >0.5 per thousand.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of FOI in the Arkhangelsk region decreased from 1996 to 2007, but remains high and varies by gender, age and economic activity over time.
Varakina
Zh L
ZhL
International School of Public Health, Northern State Medical University, Troitsky Ave. 51, Arkhangelsk 163000, Russia.
Vyazmin
A M
AM
Sannikov
A L
AL
Nygard
C-H
CH
Grjibovski
A M
AM
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality* / Q000639:trends; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards; D012767:Ships; D055815:Young Adult
D000431:Ethanol