title: Maxillofacial injuries due to work-related accidents in the North West of Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and patterns of work-related maxillofacial injuries, identifying worker categories with a high risk of injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a systematic computer-assisted database that has continuously recorded patients hospitalized with maxillofacial fractures, only patients with work-related injuries were considered. Occupation, mechanism of injury, and demographic and clinical data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Work-related facial injuries represented the fifth most common cause of injury, with a percentage of 6.3 %. Maxillofacial fractures were most often seen in construction workers (37.9 %). The middle third was involved in 67 % of the cases; the mandible was the most frequently injured site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Work-related maxillofacial trauma is rare, but it is often complex and challenging as Facial Injury Severity Scale values show. In agreement with the few published reports, construction workers, together with farm and forestry workers, are at the highest risk of injuries, mainly because of struck by a thrown, projected, or falling object.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Head & Neck Department, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Corso A.M. Dogliotti 14, 10126, Torino, Italy. fabio.roccia@libero.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roccia
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffano
authors.forename: Francesca Antonella
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerbino
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult