Citation

Wang J, Bell JL, Grushecky ST. J. Saf. Res. 2003; 34(3): 273-279.

Affiliation

Division of Forestry, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125, USA. jxwang@wvu.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12963073

Abstract

PROBLEM: Logging continues to be a major source of injuries in northeast China. This paper describes logging-related injuries in the Jilin Province of the People's Republic of China. METHODS: Logging fatalities and nonfatal injuries were summarized from 1981 to 1990 in Jilin. Injury data from 1991 for the entire forestry sector in China were also analyzed. RESULTS: Fatalities were mainly from of head injuries and were caused by being struck by an object. Nonfatal injuries were most often to the lower extremities and the head and were normally caused by being struck by an object or a fall or slip. The majority of both fatal and nonfatal logging injuries occurred to workers with less than 1 year of employment and those under 35 years old. Most injuries occurred November through March in Jilin. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Patterns of logging injury in Jilin of China were similar, but not identical, to those described in other studies of logging injuries worldwide. Methods found to be effective in reducing logging-related injuries in other parts of the world might be used in China to reduce the injuries associated with logging.