Cut-Laceration Injuries and Related Career Groups in New Jersey Career, Vocational, and Technical Education Courses and Programs

Abstract

Investigations of young workers, including limited surveys in supervised school settings, suggested their elevated injury risk. This study identified factors contributing to cuts-lacerations among adolescents in New Jersey secondary school career, technical, and vocational education programs. Of 1,772 injuries reported between December 1, 1998, and September 1, 2010, 777 (44%) were cuts-lacerations; analyses focused on 224 reports ( n = 182 post-exclusions) submitted after fall 2005 in three career groups—Food, Hospitality & Tourism (FH&T) ( n = 71), Manufacturing & Construction (M&C) ( n = 84), and Automotive & Transportation (A&T) ( n = 27). Most students were “struck by” tools or hard surfaces ( n = 93, 51%); 63 cuts were from knives in FH&T. In M&C, most cuts-lacerations were caused by hand-held tools ( n = 18) and being “struck against/by” or “caught between hard surfaces” ( n = 19). Males reported more cuts-lacerations ( n = 145), most commonly among 11th graders ( n = 54) and ages 16 to 17 years ( n = 79). Fingers ( n = 117) were most often injured, usually by cutting tools ( n = 83). Training, supervision, and appropriate equipment, and further assessments of “struck by” and “pinch point” hazards, are needed.