Occupational injuries presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Dubai: a retrospective analysis

<p><strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to describe occupational injury patterns and outcomes and explore associations between injury characteristics and clinical outcomes.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the Emergency Department (ED) of Rashid Hospital Trauma Center (RHTC), Dubai Health (DH), between November 2019 and December 2021. Adults aged 18&ndash;60 years who were identified during ED triage by nurses as having sustained an occupational injury, defined as a physical injury incurred as a direct result of employment, were included.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Among 6,730 included patients, 6,480 were male (96.3%), and the median age was 32 years (interquartile range 12; range 18&ndash;60). The most common causes of injury were direct trauma (30.1%), falls (25.6%), and sharp objects (20.5%). Isolated soft tissue injury was the predominant injury type (69.7%). Hospital admission occurred in 896 patients (13.3%), and 66 (1.0%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission, most commonly due to head injuries. Eight deaths were recorded (0.1%), predominantly following falls and head<br />trauma. Cause of injury was significantly associated with injury type and ICU admission (p &lt; 0.001).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Occupational injuries presenting to this ED predominantly affected young male workers, with direct trauma, falls, and sharp-object injuries being the leading mechanisms. Head injuries were strongly associated with ICU admission and death, highlighting the need for strengthened workplace safety measures, enhanced surveillance, and a national occupational injury registry.</p>