PSA lists most common injuries in the workplace

Superficial injuries and open wounds were the most common occupational-health risks faced by laborers nationwide, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The PSA said these injuries accounted for 61.7 percent of occupational injuries in 2013. This was a 7.7-percentage-point increase from 54 percent in 2011.

“From among occupational injuries that resulted to lost workdays for workers in various establishments nationwide, superficial injuries and open wounds were the mostly suffered occupational injuries by the majority of workers in both 2011 and 2013,” PSA said.

The PSA said superficial injuries and open wounds were common in agriculture, forestry and fishing that accounted for 75.2 percent of all injuries in 2011, and in professional, scientific and technical activities at 74.8 percent in 2013.

The second most common type of occupational injury are dislocations, sprains and strains at 11.9 percent in 2011 and 9.7 percent 2013.

The shares of the rest of occupational injuries ranged from 10.1 percent to less than 1 percent in 2011, and from 7.4 percent to 1.2 percent in 2013.

Meanwhile, data also showed the top 3 parts of the body most exposed to injuries were wrist and hand, lower extremities, and arms and shoulders.

Wrist and hand injuries accounted for 39.3 percent in 2011 and 45.4 percent in 2013. Injuries to the lower extremities accounted for 20.5 percent of total injuries in 2011 and 17 percent in 2013.

Injuries to arms and shoulders, meanwhile, accounted for 16.2 percent of total injuries in 2011 and 15.8 percent in 2013.

The neck was the least affected part in both 2011 and 2013 at 0.8 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.

“Relative to the number of cases by industry group, more than half of injuries affecting wrist and hand were highest in repair of computers and personal and household goods, and other personal service activities,” the PSA said.

The data also showed that a third of cases affecting lower extremities were registered in the repair of computers and personal and household goods, and other personal service activities, as well as in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

The PSA said occupational injuries affecting arms and shoulders were highest in financial and insurance activities for both 2011 and 2013.

“The majority of the occupational injuries were brought about by cases of stepping on, striking against or struck by objects, excluding falling objects,” the PSA said.

Data was part of the results of the 2013-2014 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE), formerly BLES Integrated Survey, conducted in 2014 by the PSA.

The ISLE is a nationwide survey covering 8,399 establishments with 20 or more workers in 69 industry groups.

It generates statistics on employment of specific groups of workers; occupational shortages and surpluses; training of workers; productivity improvement and gainsharing practices; occupational safety and health practices; occupational injuries and diseases; and labor cost of employees that can be used as basis for policy and program formulation and evaluation. –Cai Ordinario, Businessmirror