title: Relation between workplace accidents and the levels of carboxyhemoglobin in motorcycle taxi drivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relation between workplace accidents and the levels of carboxyhemoglobin found in motorcycle taxi drivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlational, quantitative study involving 111 workers and data obtained in July 2012 through a questionnaire to characterize the participants and blood collection to measure carboxyhemoglobin levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  28.8% had suffered workplace accidents; 27.6% had fractured the lower limbs and significant symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure were verified in smokers. The carboxyhemoglobin levels were higher among smokers and victims of workplace accidents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motorcycle taxi drivers had increased levels of carboxyhemoglobin, possibly due to the exposure to carbon monoxide; these levels are also increased among smokers and victims of workplace accidents. The study provides advances in the knowledge about occupational health and environmental science, and also shows that carboxyhemoglobin can be an indicator of exposure to environmental pollutants for those working outdoors, which can be related to workplace accidents.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Goiás, JataíGO, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Almeida
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Robazzi
authors.forename: Fábio de Souza
authors.initials: Fde S
authors.lastname: Terra
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D009049:Motorcycles
chemical_list: D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin