Evaluation of Occupational Traumatic Injuries in Rural Sectors of Turkey.

Aim: Traumatic injuries related to agricultural production can lead to serious disability and even mortality. Inappropriate use of farm machinery increases the risk for accidents. Th e objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of “pat-patmachine”- related work injuries cases treated at the emergency department and to assess injury severity and hospital admissions in the West Black Sea Region of Turkey. Methods: All cases related to injuries caused by work with a “pat pat machine” between June 2003 and June 2010 were included. Information was collected concerning the demographic features of patients, and injury sites, injury types, initial injury severity scores at admission, and clinical features were evaluated. Results: Th irty-nine (73.6%) of the cases were male and 14 (26.4%) were female. Th e ages of the cases were 5–76 years with a mean age of 38.8 ± 18.3 years. Approximately 19% of the cases were considered slight injuries, 30.2% moderate, and 50.9% severe. In terms of age, a plurality of injuries 24 (45.3 %) occurred among those aged 19-45. Th e Glasgow Outcome Scale score for 37 patients was fi ve; it was four for 14 patients, and it was three for two patients. Conclusions: Our fi ndings suggest that the “pat-pat machine” is one of the most dangerous agricultural machines, particularly for adults. In rural areas of Turkey, agricultural machines cause serious injuries that require hospitalization.

Accidental ligature strangulation with avulsion of scalp.

With its relatively small diameter, lack of bony shielding and close association of the airway, spinal cord and major vessels, the human neck is uniquely vulnerable to life threatening injuries. Strangulation is a constriction of the neck by a ligature without suspension of the body, the constricting force being applied directly to the ligature. In this paper, we present case of a 25 years old woman who was accidentally strangled when her one end of saree was entrapped in moving crop thresher during separating grains from dry crops in the field. She was immediately brought to the hospital where she was declared dead. Complete and meticulous autopsy was done and cause of death given as accidental ligature strangulation. This phenomenon is unusual and highlights the hazards of working with such conditions leading to such unfortunate machinery incidences and safety measures to be taken while working with such machines.

Detrimental effects of variable work shifts on quality of sleep, general health and work performance

The aim of this study was to explore the detrimental effects of working a varying pattern of 8-hour shifts on quality of sleep, general health and work performance. The Arabic version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]and 2 self-administered questionnaires were used to assess quality of sleep, work performance and general health in a sample of 200 males on a schedule of varying 8-hour shifts at the Kuwait Oil Company. A matched sample of an equal number of workers on a fixed daytime shift as a control group was enrolled in the study. Compared with men working on a straight daytime shift schedule, those working on 8-hour variable shifts exhibited higher rates of heavy smoking [p < 0.003], coffee/tea consumption [p < 0.0001], constipation [p < 0.002], job stress [p < 0.0001] and poor sexual performance [p < 0.0001]. Variable-shift workers reported persistent sleep disturbances in 3 dimensions of the global score of the PSQI [p < 0.0001]. They also had significantly more complaints of fatigue [p < 0.005], poor level of work performance [p < 0.005] and loss of concentration [p < 0.005]. Shift workers were significantly more prone to making errors and having accidents at work, and were more likely to report absence from work than the controls [p < 0.0001 and p < 0.005, respectively]. These results suggest that the majority of workers on an 8-hour variable-shift schedule experienced various health problems, poor quality of sleep and an increased risk for errors and accidents at work as compared with those workers on a straight daytime shift schedule. There is a need to compare potential benefits of an alternative work shift schedule