Occupational injuries among male construction workers in Spain

Abstract

Occupational injuries are a cause of concern in our society. They are associated with absence at work and early retirement, especially among male workers employed in dangerous sectors such as construction and mining. The aim of the current study is to analyse factors of usual consideration in the sector and assess its influence on accidents from a statistical study. A logistic regression model was used in a sample of 814,775 occupational accidents suffered by male construction workers between 2009 and 2019. This model was based on the calculation of the odds ratio (OR). Results show that among these construction workers, those who were Spanish, under 45 years old, and with more than one year of service were more likely to suffer a neck injury in a light traffic accident. In contrast, workers older than 45 years old and with more than one year of experience were less likely to suffer a head injury. No variable was detected that offered the same protective or risk effect through the different parts of the injured body. For workers in this sector, safety training, and the adaptation of this training to risky profiles and injuries should improve working conditions and injury rates.