The effect of time in a new job on hospitalization rates for accidents and injuries in the U.S. Navy, 1977 through 1983.

The incidence of accidental injury hospitalizations among Navy enlisted men during the period 1977 through 1983 was analyzed by paygrade, type of duty station, and external cause of accident to determine whether time in a new job affected an individual's risk of injury and subsequent hospitalization. For personnel assigned to shore duty, the highest incidence of injury occurred during the first few weeks at a new job, then decreased sharply, eventually leveling off after several months. This trend was not present for sea-based personnel. Shore-based personnel had significantly elevated risks of hospitalization from athletic-, fall-, automobile-, motorcycle-, and machinery-related accidents during the first few weeks in a new job compared with sea-based personnel. The leading external causes of injury (motorcycles, automobiles, and athletics) did not change appreciably over time among E2 through E9 personnel.