Occupational Injuries: Analysis of the Main Causes and Prospects for Reduction

Abstract

Instability of the occupational injuries dynamics in recent years determined the need to improve the system of its prevention and a corresponding reduction in the injuries number. The study is devoted to the analysis of statistical data on fatal injuries at the facilities supervised by the Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia. The analysis showed that the largest number of fatal injuries occurred at the electrical installations corresponding to the 6–35 kV voltage class, and the most traumatic professions in the power industry include: electrician — 66 % of all fatal injuries, electrical fitter and foreman — per 8 % for each profession. The analysis of the period duration that passed from the moment of checking knowledge on occupational safety to the moment of the injury allowed to conclude that it is required to improve approaches to training employees on occupational safety, due to the fact that the maximum level of fatal injuries is fixed after 1–3 months that passed since the moment of checking knowledge on occupational safety. The analysis of factors significant from the point of view of the risk of injury was carried out, and the most common technical and organizational reasons were identified based on the results of the investigation of injuries. The study substantiates the most promising areas of measures to reduce occupational injuries, and proposes the recommendations for improving such basic procedures of the occupational safety management system at enterprises as training employees in occupational safety, and assessing occupational risks. At the same time, it is required to consider that many procedures of the occupational safety management system, including training of employees in occupational safety, conducting a special assessment of working conditions and assessing occupational risks, are carried out by the enterprises with the involvement of the third-party organizations providing services in the field of occupational safety. Therefore, the main areas of measures to reduce the level of occupational injuries include not only the development of recommendations for the prevention of injuries and the reduction of occupational risks for employers, but also measures to stimulate the motivation of employees for safe work, as well as improving the quality of services of the third-party organizations in the field of occupational safety.