Transcript Occupational Health Overview for the Wholesale and Retail Trade Industry in US HeeKyoung Chun, Sc.D.1 Vern P.

Occupational Health Overview for the Wholesale and Retail Trade Industry in US
HeeKyoung Chun, Sc.D.1 Vern P. Anderson, Ph.D.2 Paul A. Schulte, Ph.D.2
APTR-CDC fellow1 and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2
WRT accounts for the largest share of Injury and Illness Cases
for Older/Young Workers
Abstract
This study describes occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities
among the wholesale and retail trade (WRT) sector in U.S.
Select data sets from the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2003
through 2009 were used to identify the occupational safety and
health (OSH) burden in various industry groups of WRT organized by
NAICS codes of the 4 or 5 digit levels.
The results revealed that most injuries occurred in the following
businesses: Beer/wine/liquor merchant wholesalers; Grocery and
related product wholesalers; Home centers; Warehouse clubs and
superstores; and Supermarkets and other grocery stores. The most
common events and exposures associated with nonfatal injury and
illness included the following: overexertion, contact with objects, and
falls. During the past 5 years, MSDs accounted for 31.6~34.2% of all
lost time injuries and illnesses. The incidence rates (IRs) of MSDs
(37.1-47.5 per 10,000 FTE) were much higher in the WRT sector,
compared with IRs for all industries (31.3-38.6). Specific sources of
injuries included: containers (28.4-139.5), parts and materials (7.826.6) and worker motion or position (17.9-34.1) per 10,000 FTE, as
compared with IRs for private industry. Moreover, the WRT has a large
percentage of older workers (15.6 -17.8%) who also may be at
increased risk for injury/illness or fatality. Older workers required
more days away from work to recover from a workplace injury and
illness than younger workers. The median days away from work
(DAFW) for all WRT workers was 10 days; whereas the median DAFW
for those aged 55-64 was 17 days; and 12 DAFW for workers 65 years
and older.
Interventions should be focused on those previously identified highrisk industry groups (Anderson et al., 2010). A recent review of the
data on aging indicates that older workers are injured less frequently
than their younger counterparts, but the injuries are frequently more
severe and result in loss time and employee turnover (Chun et al. in
review). Prevention programs targeted to high-risk tasks such as
manual materials handling will also help reduce overexertion injuries
and falls. Proper training and the appropriate engineering manual
assist-devices that incorporate ergonomic designs are keys to
improving occupational safety and health in this Sector.
AgriFF
1%
Manufacture
6%
35
Wholesale 5%
28.9%
27.0%
19.4%
13.5%
Trans. and
Warehousing
3%
26.0%
WRT employed
/private industry
24.0%
12.6%
12.4%
23.0%
WRT injured
youngers under 24/
private industry
22.0%
21.0%
OSH Burden
Fatality
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
609
581
555
481
477
Nonfatal (A)
849700
820500
822200
751300
673100
Lost time (B)
256100
238500
242020
218200
199400
MSD
83710
81480
76580
69410
65030
Overexertion
68750
67250
62750
57010
54530
Lost time/(A)
30.1%
29.1%
29.4%
29.0%
29.6%
MSD/(B)
32.7%
34.2%
4.5
4.1
4.0
3.7
3.3
Retail inj/ill rate
Private Inj/ill
rate per 100 FTE
5.0
4.9
4.8
4.4
4.2
4.2
26.1%
32.6%
26.8%
4.4
25.9%
31.8%
Overexertion/(B)
Wholesale inj/ill
rate per 100 FTE
4.6
28.2%
31.6%
3.9
27.3%
3.6
16 to 19
20 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 to 64
65 +
Retail Trade Has High Fatality due to Workplace Violence
60.0%
20.0%
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
43.0%
20.0%
10.0%
12.9%
8.6%
16.5%
12.4%
0.0%
STFs
Violence
Motor injury
Others
Chemicals
2%
Vehicles
11%
40.0%
20.6%
Others
Back pain
Soreness Pain
Bruises
Cuts lacerations
Fractures
Sprain strains
All ages
65+
55+
Grocery and related product wholesalers
Nonfatal injury and illness cases involving lost workdays, 2009
The sources/causes of injury/illness, all ages
50.0%
30.0%
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
- Wholesale: Beer/wine/liquor merchant wholesalers,
All other
11%
Wholesale
Retail
55+
High Risk industries in WRT with high Incidence Rate
54.3%
31.7%
65+
Nature of injury and illness, 2009
15.6%
12.5%
Overexertion
All ages
20.7%
19.5%
STFs
0.0%
25.0%
20.5% 19.4%
Violence
10.0%
27.0%
25.0%
50.0%
20.0%
Percent Changes of Injured Youth (under 24) in WRT
among Private industry, 2003-9
27.6%
60.0%
Contact with
object
Motor injury
70.0%
30.0%
Retail Trade
24%
Professional
and business
service
10%
employment share
Others
40.0%
Education and
health service
14%
nonfatal injury/illness share
90.0%
80.0%
Leisure and
hospitality
25%
WRT share of nonfatal injury/illness and employment
by age group, 2009
Event or exposure of injury and illness, 2009
100.0%
Nonfatal occupational injury and illness
by industry among youth (16-19 age group), 2009
Other services
3%
Older Workers have a High Risk of Fall (Event) & Fractures (Nature)
Worker
motion or
position
13%
Supermarkets and other grocery stores, Fuel/Tire dealers
- Older workers had higher fatalities than younger workers
Containers
20%
4 Handtools
3%
Floor ground
surfaces
19%
- Retail: Home centers, Warehouse clubs and superstores,
Parts and
materials
9%
Furniture
fixtures
5%
Machinery
6%
(OR=4.16, 95% C.I.= 3.68_4.70)
Summary
Exposures: Overexertion, Contact Objects, Fall
Nature/Type: Sprains, Strains, Fractures
Source: Containers Floors, Vehicles
Body Part: Trunk, L & U Extremities
What it indicates: Manual materials handling: lifting,
carrying, pushing, stacking is a main task in WRT
The findings and conclusions in this presentation have not been formally disseminated by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.