S8 Abstracts / Forensic Science International 169S (2007) S2–S21
calculations. There was also made survey and analyses of
literature.
Interpretation and analyses of results: During the period
from year 2000–2006 number of casualties at the place of work
continued to increase, but for number of dead persons there is
observed slight tendency to diminish. The largest number of
accidents of victims at working places is stated in the age group
45–54 years. Slight and medium bodily injuries are more
characteristic to women, but heavy bodily injuries and lethal
traumas—to men. The most often kind of accident met at the
working place—fall from one level to another or fall from
height. The most recent reason of death is blunt head trauma.
Approximately 1/5 of all victims and dead at the working place
have got traumas being in alcohol dizziness.
Discussions and conclusions: Accidents at work are caused
by violation of instructions for work safety, not stopping
equipment (machine) during maintenance, non usage of
individual means of protection, executing work being in
alcohol dizziness. The process of production cannot be
maintained without any impact of factors of risk, but
diminishment and control of them is duty of every employer.
Besides establishment of safe technologies and proper work
organisation, essential mean is human factor—education,
caution, attention and conscientiousness.
Keywords: Work-related trauma; Accident; fall; Head trauma
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.04.173
PAT-TP-11
Influence of high temperature as a factor endangering life
of inhabitants of Latvia
Zane Šenberga
Latvia
Preface: Impact of high temperature can be general or local.
General can occur due to weather conditions, hot air, water and
other factors. Local impact or burn is called damage of tissues
caused by high temperature, electric current, chemical
substance, and radiation. Not only in Latvia burns, flash-burns
and combined traumas have become very important problem.
As result of these traumas every year there is lost large number
of persons. In cases of critical burns—40–50% of the body
surface mortality is very high. Many of casualties dye from
shock or later from multi-organs insufficiency, which develops
due to homeostasis and metabolism disturbance, and later from
sepsis.
Tasks: To clarify how many casualties affected by high
temperature were since year 2000–2006 in Riga and Riga
district, as well to compare the acquired results in the whole
Latvia. To clarify the most often reasons and risk factors of fire.
To evaluate conditions and consequences accompanying
influence of high temperature. To review data of literature
on impact of high temperature entirely as well as data on
casualties. To distribute casualties after gender and age, reasons
of death, pathogenesis, surviving time and effectiveness of
treatment.
Methodology of work: The work has been carried out at the
Chair of Forensic medicine of Riga Stradinš university. There
were collected data of autopsies, histology and toxicology from
SFMEC on persons with different degree and expansion of
burns as well as reasons of death. There was gathered and
analysed information from LR Central Statistical Authority and
State Fire Fighting and Rescue service on number of fires,
consequences of them, most often reasons, number of casualties
and dead. The acquired data were processed by using SPSS data
processing programme.
Results: During the period since year 2000–2005 number of
fires in Latvia was in limits 7456–11620 and victims 195–267
each year. In Riga and Riga district from dead persons there
prevail men, average age group—55 years. Every year in fires on
the spot number of dead exceeds number of casualties, besides
part of casualties die in hospitals from burn disease or
complications. In fire circumstances burns combines with
poisoning with carbon monoxide. Very often casualties and
those died from impact of high temperature have been in dizziness
of alcohol. The most often reason of fires in Latvia is careless
activity with fire, great problem is burning of last year’s grass. The
acquired results have been compared with literature data.
Discussions and conclusions: Degree of burns depends from
kind of thermal factor and duration of impact. Due to impact of
high temperature death can ensue in different times. Direct
reason of death died in fires is intoxication with carbon
monoxide; burns as diagnoses are forwarded only in case if
there are no signs of intoxication. If death ensues later from
burn disease, direct reason of death depends from period of
illness. Treatment of burn patients is very complex and time
consuming. To avoid from the consequences of impact of high
temperature, it is necessary to study main reasons of fires as
well as to avoid them.
Keywords: High temperature; Burns
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.04.174
PAT-TP-12
Combined injuries inflicted with a saw
M.A. Zaitseva, A.R. Husnutdinov
Forensic Medicine Bureau of Leningrad Region,
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
A 58-year old man died in hospital where he was delivered
from his own flat. The death cause was established as resulted
from multiple chopped wounds of the body. The suspected
admitted during the enquiry that he had struck his father with an
axe that was found in their flat and removed. The examination
of the dead body has established multiple injuries of the head,
trunk, and extremities; their character has aroused some doubt
concerning the version suggested by the enquiry and later
confirmed by the hospital doctors. Only one injury – the head