It shouldn't happen to a vet... occupational injuries in veterinary practitioners working in Ireland

Veterinary practitioners encounter an imposing array of hazards in the course of their working life. As far as musculoskeletal health is concerned, studies of the profession have traditionally concentrated on acute traumatic injuries, which is perhaps not surprising given that contact with animals/livestock is associated with high fatal and non-fatal injury rates (Boyle et al., 1996; Drudi, 2000; Langley and Hunter, 2001; Stallones and Beseler, 2003). Interestingly, veterinarians and their staff are 9.2 times more likely to experience a severe occupational accident than general medical practitioners and staff (Nienhaus et al., 2005). However, veterinary work also exposes practitioners to risk factors associated with non-traumatic musculoskeletal disorders, and international studies are now broadening their focus to include gradual onset or chronic work-related problems. A recent survey of Australian veterinarians, for example, found that 49% of respondents experienced chronic work-related musculoskeletal problems over the course of their career (Fritschi et al., 2006). To-date there is a lack of published data on the musculoskeletal health of an acute or chronic nature of Irish veterinarians.