ABSTRACT OF THE WEEK

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Volume 248 | Issue 2 (January 2016)

Survey of occupational hazards in Minnesota veterinary practices in 2012.

J Am Vet Med Assoc. January 2016;248(2):207-18.

Heather N Fowler, Stacy M Holzbauer, Kirk E Smith, Joni M Scheftel

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To identify the scope of occupational hazards encountered by veterinary personnel and compare hazard exposures between veterinarians and technicians working in small and large animal practices.

DESIGN:Cross-sectional survey.

POPULATION:Licensed veterinarians and veterinary staff in Minnesota.

PROCEDURES:A survey of Minnesota veterinary personnel was conducted between February 1 and December 1, 2012. Adult veterinary personnel working in clinical practice for > 12 months were eligible to participate. Information was collected on various workplace hazards as well as on workplace safety culture.

RESULTS:831 eligible people responded, representing approximately 10% of Minnesota veterinary personnel. A greater proportion of veterinarians (93%; 368/394) reported having received preexposure rabies vaccinations than did veterinary technicians (54%; 198/365). During their career, 226 (27%) respondents had acquired at least 1 zoonotic infection and 636 (77%) had been injured by a needle or other sharps. Recapping of needles was reported by 87% of respondents; the most common reason reported by veterinarians (41%; 142/345) and veterinary technicians (71%; 238/333) was being trained to do so at school or work. Recent feelings of depression were reported by 204 (25%) respondents. A greater proportion of technicians (42%; 155/365) than veterinarians (21%; 81/394) indicated working in an environment in which employees experienced some form of workplace abuse.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:Veterinary personnel in Minnesota were exposed to several work-related hazards. Practice staff should assess workplace hazards, implement controls, and incorporate instruction on occupational health into employee training.

Companion Notes

Cross-sectional survey of occupational hazards encountered by veterinary personnel

- licensed veterinarians and veterinary staff in Minnesota surveyed

- from Minnesota Department of Health

Introduction to occupational hazards in clinical veterinary medicine

- animal-related injury at some time during career is common according to 7 surveys

- experienced by 50-67% of veterinarians

- experienced by 98% of veterinary technicians

- reported injuries include the following:

- animal bites

- kicks

- scratches

- crushing by equipment for animal restraint

- chemicals

- topicals, hormones, pesticides, disinfectants and antineoplastics

- physical hazards including radiation exposure, needlestick and sharps injuries

- musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) from trauma and repetitive movements

- shoulder and neck pain in large animal veterinarians

- possibly from rectal palpations

- biological hazards including zoonotic infections

- dermatophytosis and bite wound infections are the 2 most common

- environments animals are kept in can affect respiratory and physical health

- possibly causing asthma, allergies, hearing loss, frostbite and others

- reproductive hazards for women of childbearing age

- mental-health or psychosocial hazards

- stress, substance abuse, depression, anxiety and suicide

Study design

- study population: veterinary personnel

- 394 respondents were veterinarians, 365 were veterinary technicians

- 72 were office staff

- Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine reported the following:

- 2,034 licensed veterinarians in Minnesota

- estimated 5,600 veterinary technicians in Minnesota

- median age of respondents: 39 years of age with a range of 20-89 years

- 80% were women, 98% were white and 2% were Hispanic

- 66% were small animal personnel

- procedure: survey filled in electronically or on paper from 2/1/12-12/1/12

- Minnesota veterinary personnel surveyed (anonymous)

- adults working in clinical practice for > 12 months

- information collected on workplace hazards and workplace safety culture

Results (831 people responded or about 10% of Minnesota veterinary personnel)

- 89% of respondents reported being generally happy in current job

- 34% reported workplace stress adversely affected their health or well-being

(in the past 12 months)

- 25% reported recent feelings of depression

- reported “feeling down, depressed, and hopeless” during their career

- 22% reported seeking medical care for depression at some point during career

- 20% reported “feeling little interest or pleasure in doing things”

- many reported some form of hostility at work

- social exclusion of employees, 23%

- yelling, 13%

- bullying, 11%

- throwing things, 7%

- threats, 3%

- physical violence, 1%

- proportion of personnel working in an unhealthy work environment

(unhealthy meaning ≥ 1 of the 6 conditions above)

- veterinary technicians, 42%

- significantly larger proportion than incurred by veterinarians

- veterinarians, 21%

- 35% considered their job dangerous

- 35% reported they currently had or had at 1 time developed an MSD due to work

- back, shoulder, neck and wrist MSDs most commonly

- significantly larger proportion in large vs small animal veterinarians

- 27% reported having at least 1 zoonotic infection

- dermatophytosis, 68%

- bite wound infections, 48%

- salmonellosis, 7%

- cryptosporidiosis, 6%

- 77% reported injury from a needle or other sharps

- 87% reported recapping of needles

- because they were trained to do so at school or work

- veterinarians, 52%

- veterinary technicians, 71%

- environment in which employees experienced some form of workplace abuse

- reported by 42% of veterinary technicians

- reported by 21% of veterinarians

- preexposure rabies vaccination during their career

- reported by 93% of veterinarians

- reported by 54% of veterinary technicians

- testing for rabies neutralizing antibody titers within 2 years before survey date

- reported by 29% of veterinarians (not significantly different from technicians)

- reported by 35% of veterinary technicians

- adverse reproductive outcome (miscarriage or preterm labor)

- 43% of women reported at least 1 pregnancy during their career

- 6% of them believed they had had an adverse reproductive outcome

- due to their work in veterinary medicine (41% had a miscarriage)

- 93% reported taking additional precautions while pregnant

- 82% reported participating in at least 1 possibly adverse activity

(adverse to their pregnancy while pregnant)

- 16% reported having asthma

- 10% reported having asthma before working in veterinary medicine

- prevalence of asthma in adults in the US is ~ 8%

"The hazards that exist in veterinary medicine, however, are often unique to the field and extend beyond physical activities. In veterinary medicine, personnel are at risk for animal-related injuries, needlestick or sharps injuries, acquiring infectious diseases, and exposure to radiation and harmful chemicals that can impact gestation."

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