Occupational injuries

Occupational injuries have been slowly declining in the past 50 years. It is not easy to explain this declining trend because there are many simultaneous changes in working life. Increased attention to health and safety problems at work may probably be at least partly accountable for the positive changes.1 However, it is unclear whether the declining trend is still continuing or whether there is now a levelling off.2 It could well be that we have reached an injury rate level that is far more difficult to influence than the much higher rates in the past.

One of the problems in evaluating the effectiveness of measures to prevent occupational injuries is the relative lack of interest in conducting evaluation studies. Especially in industry, when rates are high or incidents have occurred, there is usually an immediate demand for preventive measures that does not mix well with rigorous evaluation to find out which ones are most effective. In general, work organizations are reluctant to experiment with health and safety measures. Interventions are usually the result of negotiations between stakeholders, …