Medycyna Pracy

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to chemicals occurs mainly through inhalation and the skin. The inhalation exposure assessment is regulated by law, while in Poland the method of conducting measurements for dermal exposure has not been indicated in the law. However, due to the restrictions 71 and 76 from Annex XVII of REACH for 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N,N -dimethylformamide (DMF), exposure assessment by the dermal route is necessary. These restrictions require to ensure that exposure of workers is below the derived no-effect levels (DNELs) for dermal exposure...

BACKGROUND: The unexpected outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led huge impact on health and safety of employees. Although now the epidemiological situation has improved, but it remains a challenge, especially in light of the emergence of new threats. The aim of the work is to present an epidemiological analysis of data on COVID-19 as an occupational disease in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analysis covered all cases of occupational diseases sent by state sanitary inspectors to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases...

BACKGROUND: The profession of a firefighter is fraught with a significant risk of injuries. Firefighters operate in hazardous zones to mitigate threats and combat fires. Aim of work is to evaluate the accident rate of the officers of the Polish State Fire Service in connection with their service, considering direct participation in rescue operations, and other official duties between the years 2015-2022. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An 8-year analysis was conducted from reports covered the number of accidents, the number of injured firefighters, the age of the officers, the circumstances of the event, and the type and location of the injury...

BACKGROUND: In the assessment of healthcare processes focusing on the quality of care provided, patient satisfaction is an important indicator that healthcare providers may use for future setting of healthcare and preventing adverse events. The study aimed to determine satisfaction with nursing care among hospital inpatients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample comprised 14 023 patients staying in medical and surgical wards of 14 acute care hospitals in the Czech Republic in 2019-2020...

BACKGROUND: Professionals working with trauma victims can experience both negative and positive effects following exposure to secondary trauma. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between secondary traumatic stress (STS), secondary posttraumatic growth (SPTG) and cognitive coping strategies and to establish the mediating role of cognitive coping strategies in the relationship between STS and SPTG. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 500 professionals working with trauma survivors were surveyed...

A major challenge over the pandemic period was to establish the criteria for recognizing COVID-19 as an occupational disease. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has attempted to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 in individual occupational groups and economy sectors in the European Union and the United Kingdom, and to identify possible factors increasing the transmission of the virus at workplaces. Legal regulations of various countries in the world allow COVID-19 to be recognized as an accident at work and/or an occupational disease...

Candida spp. isolated from both humans and animals have a similar genotype. Properties of Candida spp. specific for different host species have not been isolated, followed by studies indicating that animals can be a reservoir of these fungi for humans. Occupational exposure concerns workers who have direct contact with farm animals, i.e., farmers, breeders, veterinarians, farm technicians. Hand dermatitis and fungal infection may be caused by prolonged exposure to water and occlusive gloves. The risk of fungal infection is estimated to be high for seafood workers, florists, hairdressers, bakers and cooks, gastronomy workers and healthcare workers...

This paper summarizes the currently available knowledge on the impact of infrasound (IS) and low frequency noise (LFN) on human health and well-being. This narrative review of the literature data was based on the selected, mostly, peer-reviewed research papers, review articles, and meta-analyses that were published in 1971-2022. It has been focused on the results of epidemiological studies concerning the annoyance related to infrasound and low frequency noise, as well as their impact on the cardiovascular system and sleep disorders...

BACKGROUND: Central register of data on exposure to carcinogenic or mutagenic chemical substances, their mixtures, agents or technological processes (CRCR) conducted by Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) enables monitoring of such agents occurrence in working environment in Poland. The NIOM conducts CRCR based on the provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 24 July 2012 on chemical substances, their mixtures, agents or technological processes with carcinogenic or mutagenic effects in the work environment...

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 3 independent samples of 1582, 581 and 40 individuals employed as manual workers, social service and white collar workers. To test the IWPQ structure an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and invariance test were carried out among subgroups...

BACKGROUND: The lack of nursing staff is a current problem not only in Poland, but also in the world. The decision of nurses to leave the workplace, apart from the financial aspect, often results from unfavourable working conditions related to the work environment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was multicentre, cross-sectional. The study was conducted among a group of 1509 nurses employed in surgical and internal medicine wards in 21 hospitals in Poland. The key variables of the study were: the intention of the nurses to leave their jobs, the nurses' working environment, the level of satisfaction, the level of occupational burnout and the number of patients cared for on the last shift, the number of nurses on the last shift...

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) in reducing odour nuisances in agricultural work environment. Additionally, an assessment was conducted on the microbiological contamination of FFRs and the functionality of Time4Mask application in enhancing workplace safety. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two types of FFRs were used for the study: with absorbing properties and reference ones. The research was carried out in 6 livestock rooms during a 1-week period in early spring (February-March 2021) on a farm in central Poland...

BACKGROUND: Workloads of emergency medical service personnel (EMP) and emergency control center dispatchers (CCDs) were manifold. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presented new challenges for the prehospital emergency medical service. The purpose of this study was to compare the status of stress/strain and recovery of Recovery-Stress Questionnaire among EMP and CCDs in Germany during the first 2 waves of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic both between occupational groups and over time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 2426 emergency medical service personnel and control center dispatchers were questioned with the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire based on Kallus...

In the paper authors present general assumptions of health surveillance programme concept for workers employed in respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure at present and in the past. There is no effective treatment for silicosis thus disease prevention is of paramount significance. For decades efforts of World Health Organization (WHO) and International Work Organization (ILO) have been focused on eliminating silicosis globally. Unfortunately silicosis is still one of the most lethal occupational diseases and the preventative programmes have not yet been successful...

Occupational medical research involves the collection and analysis of data to draw conclusions about the causes and prevention of workplace injuries and diseases. However, there has been criticism that some studies lack rigour in determining causation. This article examines the similarities and differences between occupational medical research and particle physics in terms of their approach to hypothesis testing, statistical methods, and confounder control. The article also explores the use of criteria such as the Bradford Hill criteria to determine causation in occupational medical research...

This paper summarizes the currently available knowledge on the impact of infrasound and low frequency noise (LFN) on human health and well-being. This narrative review of the literature data was based on the selected, mostly, peer-reviewed research papers, review articles, and meta-analyses that were published in 1973-2022. It has been focused on infrasound perception, annoyance attributed to infrasound and low-frequency noise, as well as their effects on the cardiovascular system and sleep disorders. Particular attention was also paid to the latest research results and specific sources of infrasound and LFN, i...

Employees in the medical profession in a situation where the life of a patient is at risk cannot refrain from working due to unsafe working conditions. Therefore, enforcing the right to safe and hygienic working conditions is particularly important so that employees can provide health care services without additional burdens. The purpose of the study is to determine how the social labour inspector can respond to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards and whether the current powers of the social labor inspectorate as the employer's internal OHS control body are sufficient...

BACKGROUND: Work of a dental technician is associated with exposure to a number of harmful factors. We can distinguish: chemical, biological, physical and psychophysical factors. They contribute to many diseases, but not all of them are classified as occupational diseases. The main aim of the study was to assess the health hazards that occur in the workplace of a dental technician and their prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted...

BACKGROUND: The authors aimed to explore carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among electronic sports (esports) athletes, to compare hand symptoms and their severity between esports athletes and the control group and within the esports athletes, and to study the relationship between esports athletes' variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study via telephone with systematic randomized approach was used for esport athletes sampling. Control group were non-esports athletes who do not use computer for prolonged duration...

BACKGROUND: Job satisfaction is one of the key factors related to the work efficiency of nursing staff. Its level may affect the degree of the professional's commitment to work and effectiveness in performing their professional tasks. For a modern organisation, job satisfaction is associated with a number of benefits for both the employee and the employer. Job satisfaction of nurses is extremely important due to their professional tasks being related to the care of patients. Nurses with low levels of job satisfaction may have less capabilities to provide high quality care and thus maintain a high level of patient satisfaction...