RESUMO
We attempt to estimate the rate of fatal occupational injuries (FOI) in Nicaragua for 2005, using 10 incomplete data sources. Based on the 173 identified FOIs, the crude empirical FOI rate estimate was 8.3 per 100,000 employed (12.3 men; 1.8 women) and highest in the 25-29 age group (15). The overall rate, corrected by capture-recapture modeling, was 11.6. Manufacturing represented a high rate (11.7); the formal economy rate (12.3) was higher than the informal economy (6); mining (110.3) and electricity (76.2) had the highest industry rates; and the most common agents of FOIs were motor vehicles. With 10 major sources, the extent of FOIs remains grossly underestimated and biased across worker strata. The FOIs among informal and agricultural workers tend to remain invisible, as there is no systematic surveillance by any agency. Changes in legislation and implementation are necessary to correct the situation.
