Fat Workers Get Injured More Often?
While fat employees are turning out to be a liability to companies, research shows that they are also a liability to themselves. Apparently statistics show that obese persons are more likely to be injured during work.
According to this study:
The odds of injury in the highest obesity group as compared with the ideal body mass index group were 2.21 (95% confidence interval: 1.34, 3.53), after adjustment for sex, age, education, smoking, physical demands of the job, plant process and location, time since hire, time in the job, and significant interaction terms. Injuries to the leg or knee were especially prevalent among members of this very obese group. Research findings support an association between body mass index and traumatic workplace injuries among manufacturing employees. Workplace safety personnel might consider adding policies or programs that address weight reduction and maintenance as part of ongoing comprehensive workplace safety strategies.
Some interesting observations about why fatter people get injured include:
-Obese people find it harder to fit into protective equipment and clothing. So they don’t use it.
-Increased BMI can poop you out and that could lead to accidents.
Read Hazards:Obese Employees more Likely to be Injured on the Job
obesity, fat employees, BMI, obesity-related accidents and injuries

June 1st, 2007 at 10:37 am
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