Work-Related Traumatic Injuries and Associated Risk Factors in Iranian Metal Melting Workers, 2016

Traumatic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in the working population, worldwide. According to estimates, by 2020, traumatic injuries will be the second cause of disability in developing countries and the third cause of death and disability across nations, worldwide.

This study aimed at assessing work-related traumas and related risk factors that may contribute to the development of injuries among Iranian metal melting workers in Kashan industrial sites.

Data were collected by a descriptive cross-sectional study on 178 Iranian metal melting workers in five manufacturing sites of Kashan, selected as a census. The data consisted of a three-year period from 2014 to 2016. Samples were selected as the census. The study used a demographic questionnaire, accident investigation reports, and interviews with workers that had experienced traumatic injuries, to collect data.

Overall, 58.43% of workers experienced traumatic events. The data indicated a significant association between age, years of employment, and being a witness of an accident with work-related trauma (P < 0.05). Workers involved in smelting operations experienced more injuries than workers at other processing units. Most Injuries affected hands and wrists. The leading causes of work-related injuries were contacting with hot objects (42.3%), fall from height (26.9%), electrical shock (1.9%), strike (18.3%), stuck (3.8%), and strain (1.9%).

These results may contribute to the nature of tasks in metal melting process, requiring performance of hot processes and heavy manual tasks with hand tools. The results provide steps for developing prevention strategies. Metal workers involved in performing hot processes and heavy manual tasks might be considered as first targets for preventive interventions.