Here There and Everywhere

Apples and Oranges in Qatar Statistics: Injuries at Work or on the Road

I almost missed this article, and I am glad I didn’t. This is what I love about reading newspapers in the Gulf, you find information in the most unexpected places.

So you are led to believe that the article is about an increase of injuries in the workplace. What it also contains is some fascinating information I’ve been wondering about – traffic injuries.

I have this unsubstantiated theory that the people who suffer the majority of traffic accidents would be the people who drive more recklessly, and have weaker driving skills – perhaps failing to signal? Perhaps failing to check their rear view mirrors before passing? Perhaps driving too fast for road conditions? I know, I know, go figure, I think the roads are a place for grown-ups, people who understand that by sharing the road peaceably, we all get where we want to go.

The nationality with the largest percentage of injuries are Qatteri @ 21%

The nationality of almost all of the work environment injuries are – no kidding – expatriate.

Almost 100% of the Qattari injuries are driving related. Driving related injuries account for 32% of the total injuries treated, road related + work related.

The second largest nationality with injuries is the Nepalese – 16% of the injuries. Almost all of their injuries, along with Indians – 14%, Egyptians – 7% and Pakistanis – 5% – are work related. 32% of those injuries are from falling from a height. The work related injuries, according to Dr. Raghad, are in proportion to the nationality proportion of the population.

So the question I ask is – If the nationality with the greatest percentage of injuries, 21%, also falls into one of the two highest catagories – road injuries – 32% of all injuries, and if these injuries are totally preventable – wouldn’t it make sense to enforce the existing traffic laws?

I don’t see a lot of Qatteri women driving, so I would hazard a guess that most of these injuries are young men. With Qatteri men already a minority of the population in Qatar, doesn’t it make sense to protect that priceless national resource with increased driving education, supervision, and strict traffic law enforcement?

More than 50pc of all injuries work-related
Web posted at: 12/29/2009 1:25:26
Source ::: The Peninsula

Dr Ahmad Al Shatti, Director of Occupational Health Department at Ministry of Health, Kuwait, gives a workshop at Supreme Council of Health yesterday.Shaival Dalal

The workshop attended by representatives from the Labour Department, HMC, Qatar Petroleum, RasGas, Ministry of Environment, Medical Commission, Qatar Airways, among other organisations discussed ways to improve the occupational health services in Qatar.
THE PENINSULA

Lest you think I have a think against male Qatteri drivers, I don’t. The older Qatteri male drivers are very gallant, very gentlemanly, on the roads. They have manners, and graciousness. From time to time, I also run across well mannered young Qatteri drivers. They use their turn signals. They wear seat belts. The allow other people to zipper-in. It breaks my heart, in Qatar, in Kuwait, that so many of their young men lose their lives on the roads, or suffer horrible injuries, injuries which take months, even years, from which to recover. What a tragic waste.

December 29, 2009 - Posted by intlxpatr | Bureaucracy, Community, Doha, Education, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Health Issues, Kuwait, Law and Order, Living Conditions, Qatar, Random Musings, Safety, Social Issues, Statistics, Work Related Issues