Hospitalizations for Accidents and Injuries in the U.S. Navy. III. Time in Assignment and Seniority

You are here: Homepage > Search

Hospitalizations for Accidents and Injuries in the U.S. Navy. III. Time in Assignment and Seniority

J. C. Helmkamp / C. M. Bone

The incidence of accidental injury hospitalization among Navy enlisted men during the period 1977-1979 was analyzed by pay grade and external cause of accident to determine if time in assignment affected and individual's risk of injury and subsequent hospitalization. The highest incidence of injury among shore-based personnel occurred during the first few weeks at a new duty station, then decreased sharply, eventually levelling off after several months. The rates of hospitalization among senior personnel, during the first month at a new duty assignment, were greater than the rates occurring after this time interval for junior personnel. The leading external causes of injury (motorcycle, automobiles, and athletics) did not change appreciably over time in the senior pay grades, suggesting that the protective effects associated with seniority and experience may be largely nullified by the lack of familiarity of personnel with their new work environment and that risks inherent in this environment remain static. When comparing shore and sea environments, time was shown to influence the risk of injury for shore-based but not for sea-based personnel had significantly elevated risks of hospitalization from athletics, falls, motorcycles, and machinery-related accidents during the first few weeks in a new job compared to sea-based personnel. After one month, the risks of injury were similar in both groups.