Chronic musculoskeletal disorders as risk factors for reduced work ability in younger and ageing workers.

Aims: The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence and intensity of musculoskeletal pain as a risk factor for reduced work ability.

Methods: In total, 1449 workers participated in the study, 64% were younger workers (<45 years old, M 31.4); 36% were ageing workers (≥45 years old, M 50.

Psychometric properties of the Polish version of Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire.

Aim: The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of selected scales, namely, Decision Latitude, Psychological Job Demand, Social Support and Job Insecurity, from the Polish version of Karasek's 29-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ).

Method: The study covered 2626 workers from a wide range of occupations. Estimation of internal consistency with Cronbach's α, and both exploratory factor analysis (with principal axis method) and confirmatory factor analysis were the main statistical methods.

Evaluation of the toxic potency of selected cadmium compounds on A549 and CHO-9 cells.

Cytotoxicity of cadmium sulphide, oxide and chloride was tested using A549 and CHO-9 cells. Metabolic activity of cells (MTT test) and cell membrane permeability (NRU test) were used as cytotoxicity endpoints. The results revealed unexpectedly low toxicity of cadmium sulphide as compared to chloride and oxide.

Occupational exposure to noise from authorized emergency vehicle sirens.

Warning signals generated by sirens of authorized emergency vehicles should be audible and recognizable to all road users. Currently, there is no legislation in Poland defining sound pressure levels (SPLs) of audible warning signals generated by sirens of authorized emergency vehicles. Measured A-weighted SPLs of those signals range between 104 and 108 dB.

Comparative study of upper limb load assessment and occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders at repetitive task workstations.

This study explored the relationship between subjectively assessed complaints of pain in the arm, forearm and hand, and musculoskeletal load caused by repetitive tasks. Workers (n=942) were divided into 22 subgroups, according to the type of their workstations. They answered questions on perceived musculoskeletal pain of upper limbs.

Evaluation of discomfort glare in the 50+ elderly: experimental study.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze discomfort glare sensation in subjects aged 50 years and more in comparison with younger subjects (i.e. younger than 35 years of age).

Stereovision safety system for identifying workers' presence: results of tests.

This article presents the results of extensive tests of a stereovision safety system performed using real and artificial images. A vision based protective device (VBPD) analyses images from 2 cameras to calculate the position of a worker and moving parts of a machine (e.g.

Influence of upper extremity position on EMG signal measures calculated in time, frequency and time-frequency domains.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between time-frequency, time and frequency measures when considering various upper extremity positions below the level of the shoulder and in trapezius as well as deltoideus muscles. During the experiment, 15 subjects performed a task that involved screwing and unscrewing a screw cap on a board in six different locations, i.e.

An assessment of hazards caused by electromagnetic interaction on humans present near short-wave physiotherapeutic devices of various types including hazards for users of electronic active implantable medical devices (AIMD).

Leakage of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from short-wave radiofrequency physiotherapeutic diathermies (SWDs) may cause health and safety hazards affecting unintentionally exposed workers (W) or general public (GP) members (assisting patient exposed during treatment or presenting there for other reasons). Increasing use of electronic active implantable medical devices (AIMDs), by patients, attendants, and workers, needs attention because dysfunctions of these devices may be caused by electromagnetic interactions. EMF emitted by 12 SWDs (with capacitive or inductive applicators) were assessed following international guidelines on protection against EMF exposure (International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection for GP and W, new European directive 2013/35/EU for W, European Recommendation for GP, and European Standard EN 50527-1 for AIMD users).

Comparison of risk assessment procedures used in OCRA and ULRA methods.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to analyse the convergence of two methods by comparing exposure and the assessed risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders at 18 repetitive task workstations. The already established occupational repetitive actions (OCRA) and the recently developed upper limb risk assessment (ULRA) produce correlated results (R = 0.84, p = 0.

Working life of women with disabilities--a review.

The aim of this study was to present the situation of women with disabilities on the labour market. Women with disabilities suffer from social and professional discrimination. They are discriminated because of their gender and disability.

Ergonomics assessment of composite ballistic inserts for bullet- and fragment-proof vests.

Personal protective equipment worn by uniformed services (e.g., the police and the military) must ensure protection against bodily injuries.

Thermal sensations of surgeons during work in surgical gowns.

Standards for surgical procedures and medical clothing, designed for use in the operating theatre, have been gradually developed with the progress in science and technology. Standard No. EN 13795:2011, determining the requirements concerning materials for production of surgical gowns, was introduced in 2003.

Psychological factors at work and musculoskeletal disorders: a one year prospective study.

The etiology of musculoskeletal disorders is complex, with physical and psychosocial working conditions playing an important role. This study aimed to determine the relationship between psychosocial work conditions, such as psychological job demands, decision latitude, social support and job insecurity and musculoskeletal complains (MSCs) and (repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) in a 1-year prospective study. The job content questionnaire, the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and provocation tests were used to study 725 employees aged 20-70 years.

Comparison of concepts in easy-to-use methods for MSD risk assessment.

This article presents a comparative analysis of easy-to-use methods for assessing musculoskeletal load and the risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders. In all such methods, assessment of load consists in defining input data, the procedure and the system of assessment. This article shows what assessment steps the methods have in common; it also shows how those methods differ in each step.

The inversion method in measuring noise emitted by machines in opencast mines of rock material.

The inversion method was used to test vibroacoustic processes in large-size machines used in opencast mines of rock material. When this method is used, the tested machine is replaced with a set of substitute sources, whose acoustic parameters are determined on the basis of sound pressure levels and phase shift angles of acoustic signals, measured with an array of 24 microphones. This article presents test results of a combine unit comprising a crusher and a vibrating sieve, for which an acoustic model of 7 substitute sources was developed with the inversion method.

The influence of mental load on muscle tension.

Unlabelled: We examined the differences in muscle tension and in physiological measures depending on the type of mental task. Fifteen participants performed tests for sustained attention, vigilance and maintaining posture only. We analysed electromyogram (EMG) measures of extensor digitorum (ED), flexor carpi ulnaris (FU), deltoideus (DE) and trapezius (TR), and heart rate (HR) and respiratory frequency (RF).

The properties of human body phantoms used in calculations of electromagnetic fields exposure by wireless communication handsets or hand-operated industrial devices.

According to international guidelines, the assessment of biophysical effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by hand-operated sources needs the evaluation of induced electric field (E(in)) or specific energy absorption rate (SAR) caused by EMF inside a worker's body and is usually done by the numerical simulations with different protocols applied to these two exposure cases. The crucial element of these simulations is the numerical phantom of the human body. Procedures of E(in) and SAR evaluation due to compliance analysis with exposure limits have been defined in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standards and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines, but a detailed specification of human body phantoms has not been described.

The pattern of exposure to static magnetic field of nurses involved in activities related to contrast administration into patients diagnosed in 1.5 T MRI scanners.

Static magnetic fields (SMFs) and time-varying electromagnetic fields exposure is necessary to obtain the diagnostic information regarding the structure of patient's tissues, by the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. A diagnostic procedure may also include the administration of pharmaceuticals called contrast, which are to be applied to a patient during the examination. The nurses involved in administering contrast into a patient during the pause in examination are approaching permanently active magnets of MRI scanners and are exposed to SMF.

Determining attenuation of impulse noise with an electrical equivalent of a hearing protection device.

Determining the effectiveness of impulse noise attenuation with hearing protection devices (HPDs) is an important part of their selection. Measuring impulse noise parameters under an HPD would involve exposing subjects to impulses with a high peak sound pressure level. This paper presents a computational method of determining impulse noise parameters under the cups of earmuffs.

Occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation of Polish outdoor workers: risk estimation method and criterion.

This paper presents occupational skin exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) of 122 Polish outdoor workers in spring and summer. In 65% of the cases, it was significant and exceeded 10 standard erythema doses (SED) during a work shift. The results provided grounds for (a) modifying hazard assessment based on the skin exposure factor proposed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and (b) developing a criterion of risk estimation.

Determining ultraviolet degradation of high-visibility warning clothing with photochromic indicators.

The main purpose of this study was to select an appropriate photochromic dye and to develop a series of photochromic indicators showing ultraviolet (UV) degradation of selected background materials made from different polymers. The photochemistry of a series of photochromic compounds of oxazine and diarylethenes in thin polystyrene films were studied with spectroscopic methods. This paper also discusses the design and results of tests of UV photochromic indicators for high-visibility clothing.

Analysis of conditions and organization of work of notebook computer users.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate working conditions with a notebook computer (notebook) as a potential cause of musculoskeletal disorders.

Material And Methods: The study had 2 stages. The first one was a questionnaire survey among 300 notebook users.

Reducing kickback of portable combustion chain saws and related injury risks: laboratory tests and deductions.

Portable chain saws are still very dangerous machines. Reduced prices of these machines mean they are widely available to people who like DIY (do it yourself) and professionals. Kickback of chain saws is extremely dangerous for the operator.

New filtering antimicrobial nonwovens with various carriers for biocides as respiratory protective materials against bioaerosol.

This study evaluated the bioactivity of polypropylene melt-blown filtering nonwovens used in respiratory protective devices (RPD) with a biocidal agent (alkylammonium microbiocides) on 2 mineral carriers. Two types of carriers were tested: a bentonite, with an aluminosilicate base, and a perlite, volcanic glass. High biostatic and biocidal effects of modified nonwovens with biocides were tested against Escherichia coli (E.