title: Occupational health hazards in veterinary medicine: physical, psychological, and chemical hazards.
abstract: This paper reports physical, psychological, and chemical hazards relevant to western Canadian veterinarians as obtained by a self-administered mailed questionnaire. Nine-three percent (750/806) of veterinarians reported some form of injury during the previous 5 years; 17% of respondents (131/791) indicated injuries that resulted in 1 or more days off work. Median stress levels were similar across work environments; overall, 7% (57/813) indicated either no stress or severe stress, while 53% (428/813) indicated moderate stress. Twenty percent (3/15) of food animal practitioners and 37% (114/308) of companion animal practitioners who took X-rays reported accidental exposure. Accidental exposure to gas anesthetic was reported by 69% (394/570) of those in private practice. Exposure to chemicals occurred in all work environments. Veterinarians in western Canada are at risk of minor to severe injury due to both animal and non-animal related causes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada. tasha.epp@usask.ca
authors.forename: Tasha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Epp
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waldner
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011859:Radiography / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000523:psychology*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics