The Burden of Occupational Accidents using the DALY Index in Kashan, Iran

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), occupational accidents cause the greatest human hardship and economic compensation. The economic costs of accidents are not only borne by the victims but also by the relevant companies and the government. This study aimed to estimate the burden of occupational accidents in Kashan, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on the working population of Kashan, Iran. In order to collect data, all information related to occupational accidents registered in the Department of Labor, Cooperation, and Social Affairs of Kashan was used. The burden of occupational accidents was assessed using the method by the World Health Organization. Moreover, Excel software was utilized to estimate the number of years lost due to early death and disability, and the overall years of life lost regarding social values.

The results showed that 407 accidents occurred during the study period. Furthermore, the total number of DALY (Disability Adjusted Life Years) cases in the present study was 523.138 years, out of which 308 (58%) years are related to YLL (Years of Life Lost) and the remaining 138/218 years are related to YLD (Years Lived with Disability).

Given the high number of years of life lost due to disability caused by occupational accidents, this study highlights the importance of providing occupational health services in industries to protect human resources against occupational accidents.