CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA.
Hum Factors. 2012 Jun;54(3):303-15. doi: 10.1177/0018720811410057.
This study examines recent trends and patterns in fall fatalities in the U.S. construction industry to determine whether fatal falls among older workers are different from younger workers in this industry.
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the U.S. construction industry. Given the increasingly aging workforce in construction, it is important to assess the risk of falls among older construction workers.
Fatality data were obtained from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for the years 1992 through 2008. Denominators for death rates were estimated from the Current Population Survey. Stratified and multivariate analyses were performed to examine whether there are differences in fatal falls between older workers (> or = 55 years) and younger workers (16-54 years). Fatal falls in nonconstruction industries were excluded from this study.
Older workers had higher rates of fatal falls than younger workers; results were significant in 11 of 14 construction occupations. Regression analysis indicated that older decedents had a higher likelihood that work-related death was caused by a fall, after controlling for major demographic and employment factors (odds ratio = 1.50, confidence interval [1.30, 1.72]). Falls from roofs accounted for one third of construction fatal falls, but falls from ladders caused a larger proportion of deadly falls in older decedents than in younger decedents.
Older workers have a higher likelihood of dying from a fall. Roofs and ladders are particularly risky for older construction workers.
As the construction workforce ages, there is an urgent need to enhance fall prevention efforts, provide work accommodations, and match work capabilities to job duties.
本研究旨在考察美国建筑行业中近期的跌倒致死趋势和模式，以确定老年工人与该行业中年轻工人相比，致命跌倒是否存在差异。
跌倒在美国建筑行业是导致死亡的主要原因。鉴于建筑行业劳动力老龄化日益加剧，评估老年建筑工人跌倒的风险非常重要。
从 1992 年至 2008 年的职业伤害致命性普查中获取致死数据。死亡率的分母由当前人口调查估算得出。进行了分层和多变量分析，以检验老年工人（≥55 岁）和年轻工人（16-54 岁）之间致命跌倒是否存在差异。本研究不包括非建筑行业的致命跌倒。
老年工人的致命跌倒率高于年轻工人；在 14 个建筑职业中有 11 个职业的结果具有统计学意义。回归分析表明，在控制主要人口统计学和就业因素后，老年死者更有可能因与工作相关的死亡是由跌倒引起的（比值比=1.50，置信区间[1.30，1.72]）。从屋顶坠落占建筑致死跌倒的三分之一，但从梯子坠落导致老年死者致命跌倒的比例高于年轻死者。
老年工人更有可能因跌倒而死亡。屋顶和梯子对老年建筑工人特别危险。
随着建筑劳动力老龄化，迫切需要加强防跌倒措施，提供工作适应措施，并使工作能力与工作任务相匹配。
