title: A case-crossover study of laceration injuries in pork processing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors estimated the associations between transient risk factors and laceration injuries in workers at two meatpacking plants in the Midwest.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case-crossover design was used to collect within-subject transient work task and personal-level exposure information. RRs of laceration injuries were estimated by comparing exposures during the 'hazard' period (just before the laceration injury) with exposures in the 'control' period (the previous workweek). Stratified analyses were utilised to estimate the effects of gender, ethnicity, training and the number of adjacent coworkers on each transient risk factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors interviewed 295 meatpacking workers with laceration injuries (mean age 36.6 years, SD 11.2, 75% men, 48% Hispanic). Recent tool sharpening (RR 5.3, 95% CI 3.8 to 7.4) and equipment malfunction (RR 5.3, 95% CI 3.9 to 7.3) were associated with the highest RR for laceration injury, followed by using an unusual work method to accomplish a task (RR 4.1, 95% CI 2.6 to 6.4) and performing an unusual task (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.8 to 3.0). Rushing and being distracted were not significantly associated with an elevated RR of a laceration injury. In stratified analyses, there were a number of significant differences in laceration risk factors by gender, ethnicity, training, and number of workers on the line.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sharpening tools, equipment malfunction, using an unusual work method to accomplish a task and performing an unusual task were all associated with increased risk of lacerations. Expanded training in atypical work circumstances and evaluation of tool sharpening procedures are intervention areas in meatpacking that need examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-4395, USA. llander@unmc.edu
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lander
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sorock
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Stentz
authors.forename: Lynette M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Murray
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mittleman
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008462:Meat-Packing Industry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009329:Nebraska; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D013552:Swine