Patterns of underlying causes of work-related traumatic fatalities - Comparison between small and larger companies in British Columbia

There are consistent reports of discrepancies in injury and fatality rates between small and larger businesses. This study sought to identify patterns of safety behavior that might explain the differences. We mined the database of the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia for data on all traumatic fatalities for the period 2003-2007. We also reviewed reports from investigators, coroners, and employers to determine underlying patterns of cause of fatalities in different industries and to assess differences between small and larger businesses. Fatality rates were 9.7 for small businesses and 2.7 for larger businesses. Factors for which there were significant differences by employer size were: fatalities within one month of employment, fatality rates in primary industries and transportation, vehicular incident fatality rates, and seat belt use. Small businesses in British Columbia. have a significantly higher traumatic fatality rate than do larger businesses. Prevention strategies are needed to address training and supervision of new workers in small businesses.