Occupational accidents involving biological material: demographic and occupational profile of affected workers

Work accidents involving biological material are characterized as those whose exposure involves direct or indirect contact with human or animal blood and biological fluids, with a potential degree of contamination.

To investigate the sociodemographic and occupational profile of workers, as well as data on occupational accidents with exposure to biological material in the municipalities that make up the Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador da Região dos Vales do estado do Rio Grande do Sul (Cerest-Vales/RS).

Documentary, retrospective, descriptive, quantitative research, where 1,260 Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Sinan) notifications were analyzed, between 2014 and 2018. Data were collected in a unit specialized in worker health care.

The sex most affected by accidents was female, with 80.2% of cases, age group of 28 to 33 years (26.4%), and level of education represented mostly by complete high school (55.4%). Health professionals concentrated 84.1% of accidents, most of which occurred with nursing technicians, followed by nurses and doctors. Professionals from different occupations, such as veterinarians, students, janitors and garbage collectors were also exposed. Blood was the organic material that prevailed (81.1%) between accidents and exposure, percutaneous (70.3%). Clinical data revealed the prevalence of patients vaccinated for hepatitis B (90.6%), but 62.7% with (hepatitis B surface antigen, HBsAg) negative; 49.5% of the injured were discharged with a negative source patient and 66% the Comunicação de Acidente de Trabalho (CAT) issued.

Accidents occurred more frequently among females, individuals with low education and health professionals. The weakness in the reports of accidents with professionals with no presumed risk is reiterated, which generates underreporting rates.