Occupational Medicine 1993;43:13-17
© 1993 Society of Occupational Medicine
research-article |
The role of alcohol in work-related fatal accidents in Australia 1982–1984
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Research Medical Officer, University of Sydney, National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Sydney, Australia
Head, Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Health, University of Sydney, National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Sydney, Australia
Visiting Scientist, (Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Helsinki, Finland), University of Sydney, National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Sydney, Australia
This paper describes the role of detectable blood alcohol in fatal work injuries. An attempt was made to identify all work-related fatalities that occurred throughout Australia in the period 1982–1984. A research team examined coroners' records and classified 1737 fatal injury cases as being work-related according to study definitions. The following were also extracted from data in coroners' records:
(i) whether or not the description of the fatal event indicated that inebriation was likely to have been a factor;
(ii) whether or not there was documentation of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and if so, what it was.
The likelihood of inebriation was assessed without knowledge of the victim's BAC. In 1030 (59 per cent) of the 1737 fatal work injury cases, a BAC determination was documented. Zero levels were detected in 867 fatalities (84 per cent), and 163 cases (16 per cent) had non-zero BAC. In the latter group the median BAC was 104 mg%. Sixty-five per cent of measurable BAC cases had BAC greater than 50 mg%. Fatality risk in the non-zero BAC group relative to that of the zero BAC group was elevated for the following factors: marital status-single (risk ratio (RR)=1.7, 95 per cent confidence interval (Cl) 1.1–2.8) or separated/divorced (RR=2.4, Cl 1.5–3.8); occupation as manager, executive or administrator (RR=2.5, Cl 1.5–5.8); and commuting (RR=1.6, Cl 1.2–2.0). In fatal vehicle accidents, BAC
50mg% was measured significantly more frequently (RR=1.6, Cl 1.2–2.0) and BAC<50 mg% less frequently (RR=0.5, Cl 0.2–0.9) than BAC=0, while non-vehicular workplace accidents were less likely to have involved a high BAC
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr J. Leigh, National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (Worksafe Australia), GPO Box 58, Sydney 2001, Australia
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