An investigation of the frequency of the occupational accident in Kermanshah, Iran (2009–2013)

Background: Occupational accident is an inseparable part of every work especially in the industrialized sections where it has huge adverse economic and social impacts on individuals' lives. Objective: The present study was aimed at investigating the frequency of occupational accidents in Kermanshah, West of Iran. Material and Methods: All registered occupational accidents in the Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs of Kermanshahfrom 2009–2013 were analyzed in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Using the pre-designed checklists, the required information that included demographic information of the casualties, type of job and industry, type of the accident, the limb affected in the accident, and the consequences was gathered. The collected data were then analyzed using software such EXCEL and SPSS 16. Results: Results indicated that the total number of the accidents were 1888 cases with 358, 393, 489, 402, and 246 cases occurring between 2009 and 2013. Kermanshah had the highest number of accidents (776) and Dalahoo had the lowest number of accidents (31). In total, 1455 accidents occurred in the morning shift, 391 in the afternoon, and 42 in the evening. Most of the accidents occurred between 10 am and 13 pm, and the lowest number accidents happened between 4 and 7 am. The most frequent accidents that were 1222 out of 1888 cases were related to construction industry occurring mainly in the form of injuries, fractures, and poisoning. Hand, leg, head, and neck were the most affected limbs during the accidents. The main causes of the accidents were fall from the height, getting trapped in the equipment, crashing into the objects and machinery, and slip and fall. Conclusion: Based on the result of this study and the high frequency of accidents in the workplace, more attention needs to be paid on the training of workers and employers about safety, following the safety rules, using individual safety tools, and controling some of the procedures to reduce the occupational accidents as much as possible.