Fatal occupational injuries in a new development area in the People's Republic of China

Fatal occupational injuries in a new development region in Shanghai in east China are described. All occupational deaths in the East Pujiang New Area during the period 1991 through 1997 were abstracted from multiple, overlapping source documents. There were 426 deaths and a crude mortality rate of 9.1 per 100, 000 workers. The death rate was highest in 1995 (14.6%), when expansion in the area was most rapid. The construction sector accounted for 55% of the deaths, followed by manufacturing (23%) and transport, storage, and telecommunications (11%). Falls, collisions, struck by/against incidents, and electrocutions accounted for 80% of all deaths. Falls led all other causes of deaths (33%) and were particularly prevalent in the construction industry (46% of all deaths in construction). The development of ongoing, comprehensive injury surveillance systems in the People's Republic of China will be essential to target and evaluate injury prevention activities in the future.