Lesiones por accidentes de trabajo, una prioridad en salud pública

Abstract

The aim of this review is to stimulate new ideas and actions for the prevention of this important public health problem. In 2002 and 2003, respectively, the number of non-fatal occupational injuries was 971,406 and 906,638. Thus, every day in Spain there are more than 2,500 non-fatal and between 2 and 3 fatal occupational inju- ries. Although the profile of the at-risk worker population has chan- ged greatly over the past decade, both quantitatively and qualitati- vely, the risk of occupational injury still centers on blue collar wor- kers, whether qualified or nonqualified, in the primary and second- ary sectors of economic activity. The most common mechanisms of occupational injuries are overexertion for non-fatal injuries and traffic-related for fatal events. The adverse health consequences of new types of employment, which emphasize flexibility and deregu- lation of the labour market, are exemplified by the association bet- ween temporary employment and increased risk of occupational injury. New injury prevention programs have emerged in the last decade, but they appear to have had limited impact. Preventive activities should focus both on working conditions at the company level (micro) as well as on employment and industrial public poli- cies (macro). Greater evaluation is needed of these latter policies.