title: Slips, trips and falls at a chemical manufacturing company.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Slips, trips and falls (STF) are a major cause of workplace injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine risk factors for STF at a large US chemical manufacturing company.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study of occupational STF. Cases were identified from company injury records between 1 April 2009 and 1 May 2011. Four controls per case were randomly selected from all active company workers employed during the same time. Data were collected through a questionnaire and from company medical examinations. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for personal, environmental and health-related risk factors for STF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 74 cases and 309 controls. The response rate was 65% for the cases and 68% for the controls. Most STF were unrelated to production activities. When examining all factors in a logistic regression model, increased OR were observed for increased body mass index (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.02), having arthritis (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.01-4.37), lack of exercise (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.01-5.05), carrying materials (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.41-6.43) and being female (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.17-5.19). Reduced risk of STF was observed for never having smoked (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.24-0.95), long service (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34-0.81) and persons working over 8h a day (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.88).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk factors for STF in a large US chemical company are similar to those reported from other workplaces, but we found that staying fit and healthy is important for reducing risk.
authors.affiliation: The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI 48674, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Swaen
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bodner
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dizor
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Craun
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bonner
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D002617:Chemical Industry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Arthritis; body mass index; falls; injury; slips; smoking; trips.