Slips, trips and falls in different work groups--with reference to age and from a preventive perspective

Inter-record linkage between two Swedish databases on population and injury was effected to provide information on occupational slip, trip and fall (STF) accidents. The text descriptions in more than 1600 accident reports from occupational groups with high incidence rates of STF accidents were categorised by gender and age and the factors contributing to the accidents studied. Both older male and female workers had higher rates of reported STF accidents than younger workers, but it was established that within any one occupation the workplace hazards were common to all. Both for men and for women, the initial approach to the prevention of STF accidents should be to improve orderliness in the workplace.