Occupational injuries in workers of a Spanish bank

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In 2017, 69 108 work-related traffic injuries with medical leave were documented, constituting 12% of all occupational injuries (OI) in Spain.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to describe OI within a Spanish bank company during 2017.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the company's mandatory OI records, presenting data in both absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies. The chi-square test was employed for comparisons.

RESULTS: Among the company's 10 399 employees, 176 OI cases were recorded. Most were minor musculoskeletal incidents, with one severe myocardial infarction and one mild anxiety episode. Lower limb injuries were the most prevalent. Injuries of the trunk (P < 0.001), neck (P < 0.05), and upper limbs (P < 0.001) were linked to workplace factors. Approximately 62% of OI occurred outside the workplace and resulted in more extended medical leave (P < 0.01). Traffic-related injuries accounted for 39% of OI cases and caused 49% of days lost due to OI (P < 0.001).Female gender (P < 0.001) and age over 40 years (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with OI.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study, musculoskeletal injuries were the most common, with a single cardiovascular event being the most severe. OI occurring outside the workplace was more frequent and led to longer medical leaves. Notably, traffic-related injuries were especially significant, exceeding official statistics 4-fold.