Injuries sustained by young males in construction during day and night work

Abstract

The increased participation of young workers in the construction industry is matched by a growing realization of the vulnerability of these workers in terms of occupational injury and disease. The impact of organizational issues on injury rates for young workers is examined. This is an under-researched area where physical and psychological development influences have traditionally dominated. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on labour force participation and work hours and data from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit on patients presenting at hospital emergency departments were used to examine incidence and severity of injuries sustained by young workers in construction on different shifts. Analyses indicated a different pattern of injury for young workers and workers outside this age category. Young workers were consistently more likely to be injured than all other workers, and this injury rate ratio increased significantly on night shift, suggesting that injury prevention strategies should consider the temporal pattern of work for young workers in construction.