Expanded analysis of injury mortality among unionized construction workers

Operating Engineers and the OSHA Silica Standard: A Survey of Union Trainers

Enclosed cabs with filtration systems, an engineering control preferred in the hierarchy of controls, may reduce heavy equipment operators’ silica exposure during demolition, grading, and excavation. We surveyed operating engineer trainers about silica training, familiarity with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) silica standard, and cab filtration systems. A voluntary and anonymous online survey was e-mailed to 437 trainers in January 2018. The response rate was 22.9 percent (n = 100). Most trainers (84 percent) covered health risks and silica exposure prevention in their courses. Of these, 59 percent discussed cab filtration as an engineering control. Trainers identified possible barriers to the use of cab filtration systems and a need for education to increase use, and raised concerns about other exposures associated with heavy equipment use. Education about selection, use, and maintenance of cab filtration systems to control silica exposure is needed. Engineering improvements to heavy equipment should address cab filtration, noise, heat, and vibration.

Tenth Revision U.S. Mortality Rates for Use With the NIOSH Life Table Analysis System

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to update rate files for the NIOSH Life Table Analysis System for Personal Computers (PC LTAS) reflecting the newly adopted tenth revision changes to the International Classification of Diseases.

METHODS

PC LTAS allows researchers to conduct comparative mortality and morbidity analyses for the purpose of identifying disease-exposure associations using person-time-at-risk for age, race, sex, and calendar time-specific reference rates from 1940. Previously available through 1998, files for the United States and individual states were updated through 2004 using uncensored population data. Tenth revision causes were added if compatible with earlier NIOSH death categories, based on revisions 5 through 9. A few new cause categories were added.

RESULTS

The resulting NIOSH categories are described for two new U.S. rate files: 1960 through 2004 and 1940 through 2004.

CONCLUSION

The new U.S. rate files are available online or on request.

Disabling and fatal occupational claim rates, risks, and costs in the Oregon construction industry 1990-1997

This study estimated injury and illness rates, risk factors, and costs associated with construction work in Oregon from 1990-1997 using all accepted workers' compensation claims by Oregon construction employees (N = 20,680). Claim rates and risk estimates were estimated using a baseline calculated from Current Population Survey data of the Oregon workforce. The average annual rate of lost-time claims was 3.5 per 100 workers. More than 50% of claims were by workers under 35 years and with less than 1 year of tenure. The majority of claimants (96.1%) were male. There were 52 total fatalities reported over the period examined, representing an average annual death rate of 8.5 per 100,000 construction workers. Average claim cost was $10,084 and mean indemnity time was 57.3 days. Structural metal workers had the highest average days of indemnity of all workers (72. 1), highest average costs per claim ($16,472), and highest odds ratio of injury of all occupations examined. Sprains were the most frequently reported injury type, constituting 46.4% of all claims. The greatest accident risk occurred during the third hour of work. Training interventions should be extensively utilized for inexperienced workers, and prework exercises could potentially reduce injury frequency and severity.