title: Major workplace related accidents in Singapore: A major trauma centre's experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major workplace related accidents pose a significant healthcare resource challenge in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study looks at the epidemiology of patients who were admitted for workplace related accidents, in a single institution, with an Injury Severity Score of >9.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 196 cases of major workplace related accidents admitted between January 2006 and December 2007. The median age of patients admitted was 37 years with a large percentage being males (95.4%) and non-residents (57.1%). The most common ethnic group was Chinese (53.1%) followed by Indians (23.5%). The most common mechanism of injury was fall from height (66.3%) followed by injuries as a result of falling objects at work (21.9%). The percentage of patients who required surgical intervention was 69.9%. Patients admitted for major workplace related accidents had a median length of stay of 5 days in the hospital, a median length of 24 days of medical leave (ML), certifying them unfit for duty and the average cost of stay for each patient was S$11,000.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have a better understanding of the epidemiology and socio-economic impact of workplace related accidents through this study. Workplace related accidents result in significant number of man-days lost from work and monetary cost to employers, medical insurance and the hospital. With an improved understanding, we propose methods to prevent and reduce such accidents in future. A direct consequence of which will be the possible reduction of hospitalisation costs and better allocation of healthcare resources in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Zhi Xu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Li Tserng
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Karen T S
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: Yen Teng
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Ming Terk
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000639:trends*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D014193:Trauma Centers; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult