Occupational injuries of upper extremities among workers in industries of Yazd, Iran (2015-2016)

Background: Upper extremity injuries can induce disability and lead to lost workdays. Given the importance of occupational injuries as one of the main causes of upper extremity injuries, this study was conducted to evaluate these kinds of injuries with regard to the age of the injured workers, degree of disability and lost workdays in the city of Yazd.  Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 55 workers with occupational upper extremity injuries were recruited during 2015 to 2016 in Yazd.  Data recorded in the labor office of Yazd were collected. The characteristics of the injuries were also collected using the Quick DASH questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to report the results. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS (version 16) software. Results: Mean Quick DASH (disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) score was 60 ± 21.3. Lost workdays of more than 6 months were observed in 52.7% of the cases. Conclusion: This study showed a large number of lost workdays and high levels of disability in individuals with occupational upper extremity injuries.