Improving the methodology for assessing occupational risk in workers under the influence of physical factors

Introduction. One of the main factors shaping the health of the working population is occupation conditions. According to official statistics, about a quarter of employees are exposed to production factors that do not meet sanitary standards.

Materials and methods. A study of the working conditions and health of workers of the leading professional groups of mining and mechanical engineering enterprises, including an assessment of the occupational doses of noise and vibration, was conducted; morbidity with a temporary disability (TDA), occupational morbidity, clinical and laboratory indicators, including the leading indicators of hemodynamics, integral indicators of the cardiovascular system, the rate of acceleration of ageing, types of adaptive reactions of the body, the analysis of endothelin concentration, the state of the antioxidant status and lipid spectrum, indicators of rheovasography and stimulation electroneuromyography of the extremities, bone-dystrophic changes according to radiography and ultrasound bone sonometry, psychological testing data.

Results. The main harmful factors of working conditions of workers of the leading professional groups of mining and machine-building enterprises are noise, vibration (general and local), and the labour process’s severity. According to the results of the analysis of the incidence of TDA, diseases of risk at all studied enterprises are the pathology of the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. The first rank place in the structure of occupational pathology is occupied by vibration disease. An increase in the integral indicators of the cardiovascular system activity, characterizing the tension of adaptive mechanisms in the group of trained workers, was revealed. According to the study, the characteristic early signs of markers of the risk of developing occupational diseases are an increase in the concentration of endothelin and a decrease in the rate of excitation along with the motor and sensory fibres of the peripheral nerves.

Conclusion. Based on the results obtained, prevention and rehabilitation programs have been developed, taking into account the calculated probationary doses of noise and vibration, the detected early signs of occupational diseases, aimed at preventing the development of health disorders and restoring damaged functions in workers exposed to physical factors of the production environment.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.