These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.
Pubmed for Handhelds
PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS
Search MEDLINE/PubMed
Title: Exploratory narrative text analysis to characterize tasks associated with injuries among electric utility line workers: EPRI Occupational Health and Safety Database 1995-2013. Author: Vergara X, Bhatnagar M, Fordyce T. Journal: Am J Ind Med; 2021 Mar; 64(3):198-207. PubMed ID: 33373058. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Injury prevention is an important goal for electric utility line workers who are among the top 10 U.S. occupational groups sustaining fatal injuries on the job. METHODS: Using narrative text fields, we identified 10 high-risk tasks among electric utility line workers. We performed a case-control study of task-injury associations using data from the Electric Power Research Institute Occupational Health and Safety Database (1995-2013). RESULTS: Drawn from 12,323 line worker injuries, cases were individuals with a major injury (5 or more days lost work) matched to controls, individuals with a minor injury (less than 1 day lost work), on company and year of injury. Conditional logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Some tasks associated with higher odds for major injuries among line workers included: climbing up/down ladder/stairs/elevator (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = 2.6, 7.4); climbing down poles and transmission towers (OR = 5.5; 95% CI = 3.6, 8.4); entering/stepping out/approaching utility trucks, bucket, or vaults (OR = 5.8; 95% CI = 4.0, 8.4); and performing repetitive work/overtime (OR = 5.5; 95% CI = 3.2, 9.5). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge gained can be used to focus efforts and plan efficient preventive measures that reduce injury rates, time lost from work, and costs within the electric power industry.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]