ABSTRACT
In order to analyze the frequency, injury rate and cause of on site accidents to the hands of workers on the east coast of lake of Maracaibo in Zulia State, data was obtained from the accident reports registered with the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security. An occupational hand injury was defined as a traumatic injury to the hands, fingers or wrists that occurred while the employee was at work; that resulted from a single exposure to a hazardous agent. The following variables were analyzed: age, severity, economic activity, material agent, mechanic cause, type of injury, type of accident and unsafe action. The frequency rate was used to analyze the annual accident rate. During the period under study 2.456 injuries to the hand were registered, representing 36 of the total injuries reported; 95 were light injuries, 5 incapacitating and two cases resulted in the death of the worker. 72 of the injuries were located in the fingers, 22 in the hands and 6 in the wrists. The greatest frequency of injuries were found in the economic activity in mines and quarries with a rate of 123.1 per thousand. The age group most affected was of 20-29 years (42), Wounds or contusions and crushings were the injuries most commonly reported, in 39 and 36 of the cases respectively. The main type of injuries were caused by run over, running into or blow from objects. The principal agents causing injuries were materials, substances and radiations in 45 of the cases. It is concluded that the hand injury rate is very high in the exploitation of mines and quarries and represents the main cause of worker's disability.