Evaluation of Dokuz Eylul University Hospital occupational health and safety unit occupational accident surveillance system

Introduction and Aim: Majority of the public is in working life and the factors in working places affect a persons health. Frequency of occupational accidents and work related diseases are important indicators for determining a countries occupationa health and safety. The aim of this study is to evaluate Dokuz Eylul Universıty Hospital Occupational Health and Safety Unit occupational accident surveillance system and evaulate the characteristics of accidents that were detected during active surveillance. Method: This is a cross sectional study. The study population consists of permanent staff working in selected units of Dokuz Eylul University Hospital. The independent variables are gender, age, occupation, the unit worked, working time in the occupation, working time in the university, the condition of a occupational accident encountered and shift order. Detected accidents were later compated with the accidents registered in Dokuz Eylul Universıty Hospital Occupational Health and Safety Unit occupational accident surveillance system database. The study was conducted between 15 November 2016 – 19 July 2017. The questionnaire was composed and filled out in every participant working enviroment using face to face technique. In data analysis for categorical variables frequencies and percentage distribution, for continuous variables mean and standart deviations were determined. Chi-square test and t test was used in univariate analysis to test significance where applicable. P value lower than 0.05 was accepted level for significance. Results: 625 person was working in selected units. % 65 of those (n=406) agreed to participate in the survey. 2 person was withdraw from analysis baceuse they were "not sure" wheter or not they had an occupatinal accident before. % 76.2 of 404 people (n=398) had at least one occupational accident in their life time. % 61.4 people whom at least had one occupational accident were women and % 75.6 of people who had at least one occupational accident were health professional. Of all the people who had at least one accident % 47.4 of them were working in medical sciences, % 22.4 in surgical sciences and % 14.0 in intensive care units. During the study period 267 occupatinal accidents were discussed with the participants. After that Dokuz Eylul Universıty Hospital Occupational Health and Safety Unit's recordings were inspected and 82 accidents were detected for study period. Of these 82 accidents 24 were also detected by the researcher. This means only % 9.0 of the accidents found by the researcher were also in the Occupational Health and Safety Unit recordings. The remaining 243 accident were not in their database. Also, 58 accidents that occured duruing the study period were only found in Occupational Health and Safety Unit recordings only. There was a significant difference in age, occupation and shift order with having an occupational accident before. Conclusion: Even though having occupatinal accident rate was high like % 76.2, of these accidents only % 9.0 of them were reported. The reason for his may be because not all the working groupos were reached. The training were first started in nurses. To avoid accidents, the importence of using personal protector devices should be announced via hospital information system or mentioned during periodic examinations.