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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):161-74.

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.In a group of 72 persons (38 women and 34 men) working with a computer for4 h/day, the ROSA and RULA methods were used to assess the load, while a questionnaire modeled on theiStandardized Nordic Questionnary/iwas used to assess the frequency and severity of MSCs.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.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):675-99.Celem pracy było porównanie obciążenia układu mięśniowo-szkieletowego ocenianego za pomocą metody szybkiej oceny obciążenia fizycznego na stanowiskach w pracy biurowej (irapid office strain assessment/i− ROSA) i metody szybkiej oceny obciążenia fizycznego ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem kończyn górnych (irapid upper limb assessment/i− RULA) u operatorów komputerowych oraz określenie korelacji wyników z występowaniem i nasileniem dolegliwości mięśniowo-szkieletowych (imusculoskeletal complaints/i− MSCs) u tych osób.W grupie 72 osób (38 kobiet i 34 mężczyzn) pracujących przy komputerze4 godz./dobę do oceny obciążenia wykorzystano metody ROSA i RULA. Kwestionariusz wzorowany naiStandardized Nordic Questionnary/isłużył do oceny częstotliwości i nasilenia MSCs.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.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):675–699.

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):853–63

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.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.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.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.Kierowcy autobusów miejskich są grupą zawodową, w której ryzyko wystąpienia zmęczenia jest szczególnie duże. Celem badania było sprawdzenie, czy subiektywna ocena kierowców dotycząca zmęczenia pozwala na określenie jego poziomu, uwarunkowań i przyczyn.Badanie przeprowadzono w grupie losowo dobranych 45 kierowców autobusów (średni wiek – 43,7±7,9 lat, staż na stanowisku kierowcy – 14,7±8,6 lat), zatrudnionych w przedsiębiorstwie komunikacji miejskiej w dużej aglomeracji. U wszystkich badanie wykonano 4-krotnie – przed pracą i po pracy na trasie „łatwej” (poza centrum miasta, małe natężenie ruchu) oraz przed pracą i po pracy na trasie „trudnej” (centrum miasta, duże natężenie ruchu). Zastosowano „Kwestionariusz do badania zmęczenia” wzorowany na liście objawów zmęczenia przygotowanej przez Japan Research Committee of Fatigue.Kierowcy ocenili, że ich zmęczenie po pracy było znacząco większe niż przed pracą. Rodzaj zmęczenia po pracy nie był zależny od rodzaju trasy, ale oceny większości symptomów zmęczenia były wyższe po trasach „trudnych” (dla 7 symptomów różnice były statystycznie istotne). Jedynie oceny zmęczenia nóg, uczucia ociężałości, mrużenia oczu i konieczności wytężania wzroku osiągały wyższy poziom po pracy na trasach „łatwych”. Stwierdzono, że poziom zmęczenia był istotnie skorelowany z cechami pracy (czas pracy, długość trasy, liczba przystanków itp.) oraz z obfitością posiłku i rodzajem spożywanego napoju (kawa vs inne) przed pracą.Zastosowany „Kwestionariusz do badania zmęczenia” okazał się narzędziem czułym i przydatnym do oceny poziomu i przyczyn zmęczenia. Związek symptomów zmęczenia z cechami pracy i stylem życia wskazuje, że w zapobieganiu zmęczeniu kierowców autobusów niezbędne są działania zarówno pracodawcy, jak i pracowników. Med. Pr. 2015;66(5):661–677.

The possible associations between climate parameters and drivers’ fatigue have not been subject to specific studies thus far. We have undertaken a study to investigate whether the particular climate parameters are related to fatigue perception by motor vehicle drivers. The study was performed from July to October. Each driver was surveyed four times: before and after workshift on a monotonous route outside the city center (MR), and on a heavy traffic route in the city center (HTR). The study was conducted among 45 city bus drivers aged 31–58 years (43.7 ± 7.9), seniority as driver 3–34 years (14.7 ± 8.6). Data on climate conditions (ambient temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind speed, precipitations) on particular study days was obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, National Research Institute Warsaw, Poland. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire, developed at Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (Lodz, Poland). The total level of fatigue was significantly (p = 0.045) higher after driving on HTR than on MR. The number of symptoms was also significantly higher (p

Objectives: The aim of the study was to find out which occupational factors account for the risk of the myocardial infarction. Material and Methods: A questionnaire survey was performed during the period of one calendar year in all patients (1053 sub- jects, 692 men and 361 women) hospitalized at the Medical University of Łodź because of the first myocardial infarction. The questionnaire was prepared especially for the purpose of this study and consisted of two parts. The first part comprised: demographic data, health status at admittance, traditional risk factors for the ischaemic heart disease and was filled-in by physi - cians. Part II was done by occupational hygiene specialists and referred to education, job title and characteristics, employment data, self assessment of work-related and general stress, fatigue, socio-economic status, physical activity, alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, dietary habits. Results: Mean age in the study group was 59.9±10.4 years (26-85 years), 58.7±10.0 (26-84 years) for men and 62.3±10.7 (32-85 years) for women, employment duration was 32.9±8.8 (4-65 years), for men 34.0±8.6 (5-65 years), for women 30.7±8.8 (4-60 years. Most of myocardial infarction cases both in the group of men and women were noted in the age interval 56-60 years, 22.3% vs. 17.4%, respectively. The majority of examined men were farmers, low and middle management and self-employed workers. Among women prevailed clerks, seamstresses and farmers. The most frequent oc- cupational risk factors were: work-related stress, experienced by 54.2% of the examined subjects, occupational noise (45,5%), dust (41,7%) and various chemical factors (33%). A majority of the study group (76.5% women and 54.4% men) linked the cardiac infarction with stress, while 39.1% men vs. 16.5% women correlated it with physical effort. Conclusion: Our studies indicate that, among a wide spectrum of occupational factors, stress, noise and fine particulate dust are major contributors to the increased risk of myocardial infarction.