Fatal occupational accidents in Brazil: A national case-control study using 2023 data

TL;DR

This study identifies key risk factors for fatal occupational accidents in Brazil, including being male, working informally, and working at night.

Contribution

The study provides new national insights into fatal occupational accident risk factors in Brazil using 2023 data.

Findings

Male workers had 2.6 times higher odds of fatal occupational accidents.

Informal employment increased fatality risk by 77% compared to formal contracts.

Night-time accidents were 65% more lethal than daytime incidents.

Abstract

•Male workers showed 2.6-fold higher odds of fatal occupational accidents.•Informal employment raised fatality risk by 77 % versus formal contracts.•Night-time accidents were 65 % more lethal than daytime incidents.•Older age, illiteracy, and poorer regions markedly increased lethality.

Male workers showed 2.6-fold higher odds of fatal occupational accidents.

Informal employment raised fatality risk by 77 % versus formal contracts.

Night-time accidents were 65 % more lethal than daytime incidents.

Older age, illiteracy, and poorer regions markedly increased lethality.

To analyse factors associated with fatal occupational accidents in Brazil in 2023, using data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN).

A quantitative, analytical, retrospective case-control study was conducted with 267,482 occupational accident notifications, of which 2716 (1 %) were fatal. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Most injured workers were male (77.2 %), non-white (51.9 %), and had at least completed high school (43.9 %). The average age was 36.5-years. About 75.8 % were formally employed, and 41 % had less than one year of job experience. Accidents mainly occurred in the morning (50.5 %) and on the employer’s premises (66.6 %). Logistic regression showed that male workers had a higher risk of fatality (OR=2.59; 95 % CI 2.07–3.24). The risk increased progressively with age, being 3.89-times higher among workers aged 60–65 years than those aged 16–19. Education had a protective effect compared to illiteracy. Workers in the North, Northeast, and Central-West had a 25 % higher risk of death than those in the South and Southeast. Informal work increased fatality odds by 1.77 times, and workers with over 20 years of experience had a 43 % higher risk than those with under one year. Night-time accidents were 1.65 times more lethal than daytime incidents. Race, accident location, type, and body part affected were not significant in multivariate analysis.

Vulnerable groups ‒ men, older workers, the illiterate, informal workers, and those in underdeveloped regions ‒ face higher fatality risks, highlighting the need for targeted policies such as mandatory safety training for informal workers and regional surveillance strategies.