Work fatigue in urban bus drivers

Background: Bus drivers are a special group of professional drivers who are at a very high risk of fatigue. The aim of the study was to examine whether the driver’s subjective assessment of fatigue allows for the determination of its level and identification of its causes. Material and Methods: The study group comprised 45 randomly selected bus drivers (mean age – 43.7±7.9 years, period of employment as drivers – 14.7±8.6 years). Examinations were performed in all subjects four times – before and after work on the “easy” route (outside the city center, small traffic intensity) and before and after work on the “difficult” route (city center, heavy traffic). The fatigue test questionnaire, based on the list of symptoms of fatigue prepared by the Japan Research Committee of Fatigue, was used in the study. Results: The rating of fatigue after the work was significantly higher than that before the work. The profile of fatigue after work was not influenced by the type of route, but the assessment of most symptoms of fatigue reached a higher level after the “difficult” routes and the differences were statistically significant for 7 symptoms. Only the ratings of leg fatigue, feeling of heaviness, and the necessity to squint eyes and gaze with effort reached the higher levels after driving the “easy” routes. It has been found that the level of fatigue was significantly correlated with the job characteristics (driving time, the length of the route, number of stops, etc.) and with the abundance of food ingested and type of beverage (coffee vs. others) drunk prior to driving. Conclusions: The questionnaire used in our study to assess the subjective feeling of fatigue has proved to be a sensitive and useful tool for indicating the level and causes of fatigue. The relationship between the symptoms of fatigue and the characteristics of job and lifestyle shows that actions must be taken by both the employers and employees to prevent fatigue in bus drivers. Med Pr 2015;66(5):661–67

Using of the ROSA method to assess the musculoskeletal load on computer workstations

Wstęp Celem pracy było porównanie obciążenia układu mięśniowo-szkieletowego ocenianego za pomocą metody szybkiej oceny obciążenia fizycznego na stanowiskach w pracy biurowej (rapid office strain assessment − ROSA) i metody szybkiej oceny obciążenia fizycznego ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem kończyn górnych (rapid upper limb assessment − RULA) u operatorów komputerowych oraz określenie korelacji wyników z występowaniem i nasileniem dolegliwości mięśniowo-szkieletowych (musculoskeletal complaints − MSCs) u tych osób. Materiał i metody W grupie 72 osób (38 kobiet i 34 mężczyzn) pracujących przy komputerze > 4 godz./dobę do oceny obciążenia wykorzystano metody ROSA i RULA. Kwestionariusz wzorowany na Standardized Nordic Questionnary służył do oceny częstotliwości i nasilenia MSCs. Wyniki Dolegliwości mięśniowo-szkieletowe wystąpiły u ok. 66% kobiet i 62% mężczyzn badanych w ciągu ostatniego roku. Wyniki uzyskane za pomocą obu metod nie były zbieżne. Końcowy wynik metody ROSA (skala 1−10 pkt) wynosił 26 pkt (M±SD = 3,51±1,09), a metody RULA (skala 1−7 pkt) – 2−4 pkt (M±SD = 3,00±0,17). Wartości ocen cząstkowych i oceny końcowej w metodzie ROSA były skorelowane z liczbą jednocześnie występujących dolegliwości oraz nasilenia dolegliwości w różnych okolicach układu mięśniowo-szkieletowego. Ocena pozycji poszczególnych części ciała podczas pracy u osób z dolegliwościami i bez nich, przeprowadzona za pomocą metody RULA, była prawie identyczna. Wnioski Wykazano, że metoda ROSA jest użytecznym i łatwym w użyciu narzędziem do oceny komputerowych stacji roboczych, którego stosowanie może być rozpowszechniane. Med. Pr. 2019;70(6):675–699Background The aim of the study was to compare the musculoskeletal system load assessed using the rapid office strain assessment (ROSA) and rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) methods in computer operators, and to determine the correlation of the obtained results with the occurrence and intensity of musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) in these individuals. Material and Methods In a group of 72 persons (38 women and 34 men) working with a computer for > 4 h/day, the ROSA and RULA methods were used to assess the load, while a questionnaire modeled on the Standardized Nordic Questionnary was used to assess the frequency and severity of MSCs. Results Musculoskeletal complaints occurred in about 66% of the investigated women and 62% of the investigated men within the previous year. The results of the ROSA and RULA methods were not convergent. The final result of the ROSA method (scale 1−10 pts) was 2−6 pts (M = 3.51±1.09), while the final result of the RULA method (scale 1−7 pts) ranged 2−4 pts (3.00±0.17). The values of partial and final scores in the ROSA method were correlated with the number of concurrent ailments and intensity of complaints in various regions of the musculoskeletal system. The assessment of the position of particular parts of the body during work, performed using the RULA method, in people with or without MSCs was almost identical. Conclusions The use of the ROSA method has shown that it is a useful and easy-to-use tool for assessing computer workstations and can be successfully disseminated. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):675–9

Work fatigue in urban bus drivers

Background: Bus drivers are a special group of professional drivers who are at a very high risk of fatigue. The aim of the study was to examine whether the driver’s subjective assessment of fatigue allows for the determination of its level and identification of its causes. Material and Methods: The study group comprised 45 randomly selected bus drivers (mean age – 43.7±7.9 years, period of employment as drivers – 14.7±8.6 years). Examinations were performed in all subjects four times – before and after work on the “easy” route (outside the city center, small traffic intensity) and before and after work on the “difficult” route (city center, heavy traffic). The fatigue test questionnaire, based on the list of symptoms of fatigue prepared by the Japan Research Committee of Fatigue, was used in the study. Results: The rating of fatigue after the work was significantly higher than that before the work. The profile of fatigue after work was not influenced by the type of route, but the assessment of most symptoms of fatigue reached a higher level after the “difficult” routes and the differences were statistically significant for 7 symptoms. Only the ratings of leg fatigue, feeling of heaviness, and the necessity to squint eyes and gaze with effort reached the higher levels after driving the “easy” routes. It has been found that the level of fatigue was significantly correlated with the job characteristics (driving time, the length of the route, number of stops, etc.) and with the abundance of food ingested and type of beverage (coffee vs. others) drunk prior to driving. Conclusions: The questionnaire used in our study to assess the subjective feeling of fatigue has proved to be a sensitive and useful tool for indicating the level and causes of fatigue. The relationship between the symptoms of fatigue and the characteristics of job and lifestyle shows that actions must be taken by both the employers and employees to prevent fatigue in bus drivers. Med Pr 2015;66(5):661–67

Dietary habits and myocardial infarction in occupationally active men

Objectives Only a few studies have been undertaken to analyze the dietary habits of people with cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary behaviors of working people who were hospitalized due to experiencing the first acute cardiovascular incident. Material and Methods In the study, the Functional Activity Questionnaire was used. The study was conducted in 2 groups. The first group included all the men hospitalized during 1 year (January–December 2009) in 2 clinics of cardiology, who were professionally active until the first myocardial infarction (MI). It comprised 243 men aged 26–70 years. The reference group consisted of 403 men, blue- and white-collar workers, aged 35–65 years. Results The body mass index of the MI patients was significantly higher (p = 0.006). The frequency of consumption of particular products in the MI group and in the reference group differed significantly for 11 of 21 products. The MI patients significantly less frequently reported the daily consumption of fruit, raw vegetables, cheese, vegetable oils and fish. In this group, the consumption of salty (p = 0.0226) or fatty (p < 0.0001) foods was significantly higher. It was shown that, after adjusting for age, education and the type of work, the daily consumption of fish, salads and cooked vegetables, as well as fruit and vegetable oils, significantly reduced the risk of myocardial infarction. An increased MI risk was, in turn, associated with obesity and preference for fatty foods. Conclusions The authors found that diet significantly modified the MI risk in the examined workers. This indicates that an important aspect of prevention activities among working people should involve education about proper dietary habits. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(6):853–6

Aggravating factors in teachers' work and fatigue

Nauczyciele są grupą zawodową, w której ze względu na rodzaj pracy i specyfikę obciążeń można spodziewać się występowania nasilonego zmęczenia. Jednak niewiele badań dotyczy tego problemu. Celem niniejszych była ocena poziomu zmęczenia po pracy i zmęczenia przewlekłego u nauczycieli oraz ustalenie, czy i w jakim stopniu są one zależne od obciążeń zawodowych i pozazawodowych.Materiał i metodyW doborze grupy zastosowano model losowania warstwowego, gdzie warstwami były szkoły (szkoła podstawowa, gimnazjum, liceum, technikum, szkoła zawodowa, szkoła specjalna) i ich lokalizacja (miasto wojewódzkie, miasto >5 tys. mieszkańców, miasto ≤5 tys. mieszkańców, wieś). Do udziału w badaniu zaproszono wszystkich nauczycieli zatrudnionych w wylosowanych placówkach. Rozdano 650 ankiet – kompletne ankiety zwróciło 403 nauczycieli. Oceniano zmęczenie po pracy na podstawie odpowiedzi na pytanie „Czy odczuwa Pani/Pan zmęczenie po pracy?” i zmęczenie przewlekłe z zastosowaniem Skali oceny zmęczenia (Fatigue Assessment Scale – FAS). Do oceny innych czynników, które mogą wpływać na poziom zmęczenia, opracowana została specjalna ankieta. Zastosowano Kwestionariusz do subiektywnej oceny stresu w pracy oraz kwestionariusz Cohena Skala spostrzeganego stresu (Perceived Stress Scale – PSS) do oceny stresu ogólnego. Ponadto zastosowano listę obciążeń zawodowych pedagoga na podstawie Kwestionariusza obciążeń zawodowych pedagoga oraz listę dodatkowych czynników przeszkadzających w pracy nauczycieli.WynikiW badaniu udział wzięło 70 mężczyzn w wieku 35–63 lat i 333 kobiety (24–64 lata). Średnia wieku kobiet i mężczyzn nie różniła się istotnie. Na poziom zmęczenia nauczycieli, bez względu na płeć, w największym stopniu wpływały cechy pracy decydujące o jej stresogenności (presja czasu, pośpiech, niedostosowanie tempa pracy do indywidualnych możliwości, wzrastające stale obciążenie, nadmiar odpowiedzialnych zadań, brak wsparcia przełożonych, niski prestiż zawodu, brak sukcesów pedagogicznych mimo wysiłku wkładanego w nauczanie, poczucie braku sensu pracy oraz negatywny wpływ pracy na życie rodzinne) oraz obciążenia pozazawodowe i niewystarczający wypoczynek.WnioskiPrzeprowadzone badanie pozwoliło określić profil i częstość występowania czynników zawodowych i pozazawodowych, które kształtują poziom zmęczenia u nauczycieli. Med. Pr. 2021;72(3):283–303Teachers are a occupational group in which, due to the type and specificity of work, it can be expected that the feeling of fatigue will be very intense. However, there has been little research into this problem. The aim of the research was to assess the level of fatigue after work and chronic fatigue in teachers, and to determine whether and to what extent it depends on occupational and non-occupational loads.Material and MethodsThe stratified sampling model was used to select the sample, where the layers were the type of school and its location (size of a town/city). All teachers from selected schools were invited to participate. Overall, 650 questionnaires were distributed and 403 teachers returned completed questionnaires. Fatigue after work was assessed on the basis of answers to the following question: “Do you feel tired after work?” and chronic fatigue using the Fatigue Assessment Scale. A special questionnaire was developed to assess other factors that might affect the level of fatigue. The Subjective Stress Assessment at Work Questionnaire, Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, a part of the Questionnaire of Professional Loads of the Teacher and a list of additional factors disturbing the work were used.ResultsThe study involved 70 men aged 35–63 years and 333 women (24–64 years). The groups did not differ significantly in terms of mean age. The level of fatigue, regardless of gender, was mostly influenced by time pressure, rush, mismanagement of the pace of work to individual abilities, increasing workload, an excess of responsible tasks, a lack of support from superiors, a low prestige of the profession, a lack of pedagogical successes, a sense of the lack of meaning in work, and the negative impact of work on family life, as well as non-occupational loads and insufficient rest.ConclusionsThe conducted study allowed for determining the profile and frequency of occupational and non-occupational factors affecting the level of fatigue in teachers. Med Pr. 2021;72(3):283–30

Analysis of bus drivers reaction to simulated traffic collision situations – eye-tracking studies

Objectives The aim of the study was to establish whether the driver’s visual strategy may influence a driver’s behavior to avoid a crash in a high-risk situation. Any published papers on drivers’ visual strategies just before a crash were not found. Material and Methods Tests were performed using a high-tech driving bus simulator. Participants comprised 45 men drivers, aged 43.5±7.9 years old, seniority as a bus driver of 13.3±8.6 years. The tests were preceded by medical examinations: general, neurological and ophthalmological. Each participant drove the same city route for approximately 40 min (entire route – ER). In the final phase, a collision situation was simulated (a phantom car blocked the participant’s right of way). Driver’s visual strategy was analyzed using the FaceLab device with 2 cameras during ER and just before collision. The field-of-view covered by camera 1 was divided into 8 regions, by camera 2 into 10 regions. The distribution of gazes in regions was a criterion of visual strategy. Results Thirty-five drivers completed the simulated driving test, 14 escaped the collision, 21 crashed. These groups differed only in resting systolic blood pressure before the test. The analysis of covariance, after adjusting to this factor, indicated that during the ER visual strategy recorded by camera 1 did not differ between groups, in camera 2 the drivers in the crash group fixed their gaze more frequently (p = 0.049) in region 3 (close part of the road in front of the windshield). Just before the collision drivers who escaped the collision fixed their gaze significantly more often in region 6 (left side of the road) in camera 1 and in region 6 (in front of the windshield,) and region 10 (right side) in camera 2. Conclusions The visual strategy has an impact on the road safety. The analysis of visual strategies may be a useful tool for the training of drivers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(2):161–7