Employees who work in industries like construction or forestry are put into hazardous situations each day. So it likely comes as no surprise that a team of researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in West Virginia recently found that construction workers experience the highest numbers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) when compared to other industries.
Individuals who work in forestry, agriculture and fishing experienced the highest percentage of the head injury.
“While TBI is an important topic for public health researchers, there has been a lack of attention paid to the investigation of brain injuries occurring in the workplace,” commented lead investigator Hope M. Tiesman, Ph.D.
The researchers found that about 31 percent of employee TBI occurs as a result of a motor vehicle accidents, while 29 percent stem from falls and 20 percent occur from assaults and violence in the workplace.
Results of this study suggest that individuals who work in these hazardous industries may be in need of supplemental training that may help them avoid accidents. Additionally, employee wellness programs that provide tools for stress management have been shown to improve employee performance.
