SEVERE HAND INJURIES AMONG SWEDISH FARMERS

Larsson, T.J., 1990. Severe hand injuries among Swedish farmers. Journal of Occupational Accidents, 12: 295-306. Eighty-tree permanently disabling hand injuries among Swedish farmers recorded for insurance purposes have been analysed. Accident sequences and average severity rates are presented for injuries associated with forest work, firewood production, timber processing, moving of animals. combines, mowing/crushing/cutting machines and conveyors. Injuries associated with combines and timber processing have the highest average severity. Farmers have a smaller than average proportion of hand injuries among the permanent disabilities in the insurance material. Still, hand injuries constitute 40% of the farmers' permanent disabilities. The average degree of disability among the hospitalized cases is higher for farmers than for industrial workers. This could be due to an underreporting of disabling injuries among farmers. © 1990.