Workplace Accidents in a Metalworking Company in a Colombian Caribbean City

Abstract

• Objective: To analyze the association between sociodemographic and occupational variables (Gender, Age, BMI, Length of Service, Job Title) and risk indicators (workplace accidents, occupational illnesses, and absenteeism) in a group of workers in the metalworking sector. Methodology: Observational, descriptive, and analytical study with a cross-sectional quantitative design. The study population consisted of 49 workers from a single metalworking company in Cartagena, Colombia. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means) were used to characterize the population, and hypothesis tests (Student's t-test, Chi-square test, and Odds Ratio [OR]) were applied to evaluate associations with a significance level of α < 0.05. The main limitation is the small sample size. Results: The sample was predominantly male (79.59%), with a mean age of 36.3 years and a mean BMI of 26.54 (overweight), affecting 48.98% of the workers. The prevalence of workplace accidents was low (4.08%); however, the prevalence of occupational diseases was 14.29%, and absenteeism due to illness was 20.41%. Hypothesis testing found no statistically significant associations between gender, seniority, or job type (operational vs. administrative) and the risk indicators (accidents and absenteeism). Conclusion: The study findings consistently indicate that there is no statistically significant association between key variables (gender, seniority, job type) and the risk indicators (accidents, absenteeism).