Citation

Carlsson A. J. Occup. Accid. 1984; 6(1-3): 147-153.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Hands and fingers are injured in 36% of all occupational accidents in Sweden. By using the Swedish Information System on Occupational Injuries (ISA) a survey of the hand injuries is made which shows the most affected branches, occupations, machines and equipment. The most frequent chains of events leading to hand injuries are shown.The occupations with highest frequencies of hand injuries are butchers, sawyers and metal casters and moulders.Machines, vehicles, lifting and surveyor devices only cause one third of the accidents. The rest are caused by simple equipment like hand tools and construction material.Long and complicated chains of events immediately preceding accidents are rare. Loss of personal control, usually loss of hold, precedes half of the injuries. Technical events like ruptures, collapses, machines not functioning, etc. only happen in 15% of the accidents. Amputations are mainly caused by metal and wood processing machines. More than one third of the amputations are preceded by loss of personal control.