Project number: 8.S.01
Author name:  Joanna Bugajska
Title:
Assessing the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders depending on the type of work and worker’s age
Key words: musculoskeletal disorders, type of work, worker’s age

Description:
The aim of the task was to establish the relationship between the frequency and the intensity of musculoskeletal disorders and the type of work and the worker’s age. A longitudinal study was planned, 12 months apart.
Guidelines and training materials for workers and OSH specialists were developed.
They cover the effect of working conditions and work organization on the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders. The second questionnaire survey of workers was completed and the test results were analysed statistically. 814 people took part in the first survey,
804 people in the second one, which is 98.8% of the respondents in the first survey.
Most (about 77%) of the respondents in both surveys were female. Two regression analyses (logisitic and linear) models from Statistica 9.0 were done to assess the relationship between the effect of physical, organizational and personal factors and the incidence and intensity of disorder in various body parts.

Application:
The guidelines that were developed for OSH specialists cover designing working conditions and work organization that are conducive to decreasing workers’ musculoskeletal load. They can help reduce those disorders.  
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Project number: 8.S.02
Author name: Maria Konarska
Title:
Research on the determinants of the quality of life of people with a mobility dysfunction taking up occupational work in the open labour market and in sheltered enterprises
Key words: people with disabilities, employment, occupational rehabilitation, psychosocial determinants

Description:
The aim of the task was to evaluate the influence of psychosocial determinants on the perception of the quality of life of people with a mobility dysfunction in the context of occupational rehabilitation and employment, and the development of training materials, guidelines and recommendations for services involved in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities.
There were 426 subjects, people with a mobility dysfunction, aged 18-65. They were divided into 4 groups: people working in the open labour market, working in sheltered enterprises, people looking for work, and unemployed people and people not looking for work. The analyses also considered the age of the subjects.
Guidelines and recommendations for services involved in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities were developed on the basis of the results. They concern taking up measures increase the quality of life of people with a mobility dysfunction. A training course/workshop was run for people with disabilities; it focused on the problems of the quality of life and the psychosocial sources of stress, as well as communication and social support.

 
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Project number: 4.S.29
Author name: Elżbieta Łastowiecka-Moras
Title:
Studying the influence of natural UV radiation on the incidence of negative health effects in persons working at outdoor workstations, and developing relevant preventive measures
Key words: UV radiation, health hazard, outdoor workstation, work in the open, prophylaxis

Description:
The task consisted in developing a questionnaire for studying occupational risk and the negative health effects that could be related to exposure to natural UV radiation. A questionnaire survey was administered in selected occupational groups. 302 men (mean age 37.22 years) took part in the survey. They represented 10 occupational groups, of which over 70% were carpenters and road workers. The subjects had worked on average 12 years exposed to natural UV radiation and were exposed to this factor on average 8.9 hours during a workday. Over 60% of subjects had phototype II and III skin, i.e. they had medium or even high natural protection against UV radiation.
Over 80% of workers declared they were aware of the health hazards related to exposure to UV radiation, whereas under 70% had been informed by the OSH services about occupational risk related to work that involved exposure to natural UV radiation.
In the group of workers at outdoor workstations, two other kinds of tests were also conducted: screening skin tests that were aimed at assessing the condition of the skin occupationally exposed to UV radiation (300 persons) and specialist dermatological tests, which aimed at diagnosing diseases related to exposure to natural UV radiation in 120 men selected from the 300 who had  previously been screened.
The results of both the screening tests and the specialist dermatological and ophthalmological tests showed negative health effects related to the skin and eyesight in the group of subjects occupationally exposed to natural UV radiation, who belonged to various occupational groups. The most serious of those were precancerous changes in the skin  (sun-related cornification) and cataracts. It also turned out that few workers used protection against UV radiation.

Application:
The results of the study can be used in increasing occupational safety.
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Project number: 4.S.33
Author name: Marzena Malińska
Title:
Reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders when using portable computers
Key words: musculoskeletal disorders, work with a portable computer, risk assessment

Description:
The task consisted in conducting a questionnaire survey in 300 workers, who used portable computers in their occupational work, and carrying out an expert assessment of the working conditions at 52 workstations equipped with portable equipment. On the basis of the results of the questionnaire survey  it was shown that portable computers were an indispensable tool in occupational work.
It was also shown that working conditions when a portable computer was used did not comply with the working conditions defined in an annex to the regulation of the minister of labour and social policy of December 1, 1998.
Laboratory tests were also conducted. Their aim was to assess musculoskeletal load when using a portable computer. The tests included an objective assessment of musculoskeletal load and a subjective assessment of the comfort of working with a portable computer on the basis of a developed questionnaire.  The influence of the duration of load on the values of the parameters of the EMG signal was also measured.
The results of the subjective assessment of the working condition related to using a portable computer  were in step with the results of the measurements of the posture angles and the EMG signal. The respondents considered work with a separate, additional keyboard and a docking station (DO) most comfortable, whereas work with a desktop workstation (the ZL variant) was least comfortable.
Recommendations regarding prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in operators of portable computers have been developed.

Application:
The results of the study can be used in increasing occupational safety.
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Project number: 4.S.30
Author name: Roman Liu
Title:
Developing a method of assessing risk of musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limbs caused by repetitive tasks
Key words: risk assessment, musculoskeletal disorders, upper limbs, repetitive work

Description:
Because upper limbs are most important when doing repetitive tasks, their load is a matter of special concern.
The aim of the project was to develop a method of assessing risk of musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limbs, especially to be used at workstations that involved repetitive tasks.
This aim was achieved by:
- developing a questionnaire for studying the relationship between a workerʼs load at a workstation and the development of musculoskeletal disorders, and administering the questionnaire survey,
- developing limit values of a repetitive work indicator, which would make it possible to assess the risk of this disorder developing in three assessment zones,
- analysing the questionnaire survey administered to a group of 1300 workers,
- ergonomics assessment of 23 types of workstations,
- a comparative analysis of repetitive work indicators and indicators of disorders in workers working at the workstations that were assessed,
- developing a computer version of a method of assessing risk (Upper Limb Risk Assessment – ULRA).
What was done during the task made it possible to find a dependence between the repetitive task indicator (RTI) characteristic for a given workstation and the upper limb disorder indicator.  Limit values of RTI were developed for three risk zones. An ULRA computer program was also developed, which makes it possible to assess risk with the use of the RTI indicator.

Application:
The results of the study can be used in increasing occupational safety.
 
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Project number: 4.S.31
Author name: Joanna Kamińska
Title:
Developing solutions promoting designing computer workstations in accordance with ergonomics principles
Key words: computer workstation, ergonomics

Description:
The task consisted in developing a questionnaire for assessing the knowledge and awareness of people working at computer workstations regarding the requirements of ergonomics, and a questionnaire for subjective assessment of workstations. The Nordic questionnaire with an additional VAS scale was adapted for subjective assessment of musculoskeletal disorders for people working at computer workstations. Then preliminary questionnaires were administered to 150 persons. The group was divided into four subgroups. Depending on the subgroup, training in ergonomics of computer workstations took place and/or ergonomic interventions directly at selected workstations. After a month and after a year since the intervention, the questionnaire was again administered.
Guidelines and basic principles of preventing musculoskeletal disorders were developed for people working at computer workstations. Those guidelines covered equipment at the workstation, work organization and workers’ behaviour. Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders for people beginning to work at computers, especially children and young people, and gradual repeating and reinforcing of positive behaviour to eradicate bad habits were suggested.

Application:
The results of the study can be used in increasing occupational safety.
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Project number: 4.S.32
Author name: Paweł Bartuzi
Title:
Reducing the risk of road accidents by developing ergonomic solutions at the workstation of a truck driver
Key words: risk assessment, road accidents, drivers, ergonomic workstation, trucks

Description:
The aim of the task was to develop ergonomic solutions at the workstation of a truck driver that would be conducive to reducing the risk of road accidents. The final result of the task was the development of an optimal – in view of muscle fatigue and reaction time – configuration of angles of the truck driver’s lower limbs.
Field measurements at real truck drivers’ workstations were conducted; they aimed at an ergonomic analysis of the driver’s workstation regarding safe driving. The results of the field measurements were used to configure  the driver’s workstation. Laboratory tests were conducted with the use of surface electromyography and on the basis of registering reaction time in unexpected situations, in six different configurations of the right lower limb. There were 15 participants.
The laboratory tests were to provide measurement data that would make it possible to define an optimal – in view of muscle fatigue, reaction time and accident risk - configuration of the angles of the truck driver’s lower limbs.
During the study, tests were conducted. They differed in the participant’s posture; they consisted in appropriate controlling of the lower limb at the PR1 test stand that imitated a driver’s workstation. Each participant took part in 6 tests that differed in the angles in the hip and knee joints.
Moreover, a statistical analysis of the test results was conducted. It aimed at developing an optimal – in view of muscle fatigue and reaction time – workstation of a truck driver.
An information brochure and a flyer were developed; they contain guidelines on reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and increasing safety both from the point of view of a professional driver and other road users.

Application:
The developed guidelines can help decrease drivers’ reaction time to unexpected situations, which in turn can reduce the number of road accidents and collisions with the involvement of truck drivers.
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Project number: 8.S.03
Author name: Anna Marszałek
Title:
Developing the principles of determining work pace in the cold environment for people of different ages to reduce thermal discomfort
Key words: work in the cold environment, reducing thermal discomfort, physiological tests, climatic chamber

Description:
The aim of the task was to develop the principles of working in the cold environment for people of different age to reduce their thermal discomfort. Physiological examinations  were carried out for people who work in the cold environment in order to determine the differences in the reactions of the body to workload in controlled conditions in the cold environment depending on the age and gender. The methodology included two kinds of studies: questionnaire and laboratory ones. The analysis of the structure of employment was carried out on the basis of questionnaires that had been sent to enterprises based in Warsaw and which included the number of employees divided by gender and age (under and over 45 years of age).
Laboratory tests focused on the physiological reaction of workers in the cold environment. A climatic chamber was used in the tests. The details of the methodology of those tests were established on the basis of an analysis of the literature and consultations with people responsible for occupational safety in enterprises with workstations in the cold environment.
Hygienic recommendations were developed on the basis of the tests, as were guidelines on work in the cold environment for people of different ages to reduce thermal discomfort. Those materials also have the form of a handbook for services responsible for occupational safety and health in the cold environment.

Application:
The results of the study can be used in increasing occupational safety.


 
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Project number: 3.S.10
Author name: Anna Bogdan
Title:
Assessing the physiological properties of surgical clothing to ensure thermal comfort
Key words: surgical clothing, physiological properties, thermal comfort

Description:
The aim of the task was to assess thermal properties of medical clothing in the context of ensuring thermal comfort of surgeons, and to determine, according to physiological criteria and subjective opinions, comfortable working conditions for individual protective clothing ensembles that were assessed.
The task involved assessing thermal insulation of the 5 selected medical clothing ensembles (consisting of different parts of scrubs) on the basis of objective tests  carried out with a thermal manikin and assessment of the parameters of the thermal environment in the operating theatre. Moreover, physiological parameters, physical parameters and subjective opinions were tested by volunteers – 2 surgeons during real surgery.
The results showed it was impossible to unequivocally to say which clothing ensemble was best. The test revealed mistakes in the way medical clothing was constructed. The tested ensembles had high thermal insulation and considerable humidity (approximately 80%), especially in the space between the body and the clothing; those parameters cause the feeling of great thermal discomfort.
 
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Project number: 3.R.02
Author name: Anna Bogdan
Title:
A model of a virtual manikin for modelling thermal properties of clothing for cold and hot environments
Key words: thermal manikin, protective clothing, cold microclimate, hot microclimate

Description:
The aim of the project was to develop a virtual thermal manikin for analysing and modelling thermal conditions of the environment. After additional modules will have been developed, this manikin will be used for modelling insulation of thermal protective clothing used when working in cold and hot environments. It will also be used in designing ventilation and air conditioning systems, for precise replication of environmental parameters.
The CFD-FLUENT program was selected; it was used for modelling the heat exchange between human and the environment. Additional programs were selected for creating the geometry of the model and the GAMBIT TGrid grid; entry data were established; limit values of the environmental parameters were analysed, a scan of the human was implemented into the CFD program; the size of the discretizing grid was selected.
Simulations were run in selected conditions of the external environment and initial simulations for a selected occupational group and defined working conditions.
Volunteers participated in tests, which were used to verify the Numberical calculations obtained with the manikin. The distribution of skin temperature in clothing and without clothing, and exhaled air were measured with a real thermal manikin; Numberical calculations with a model of a virtual manikin were done, too.
Different variants of the model's ambient temperature and various kinds of layers of clothing (summer, winter) were used in Numberical calculations.

Application:
The results of the measurements can be used to increase occupational safety. 
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Project number: 1.R.12
Author name: Danuta Roman-Liu
Title:
A model for assessing the probability of musculoskeletal disorders depending on biomechanical and personal risk factors
Key words: musculoskeletal disorders, mathematical model, risk factors

Description:
The aim of the project was to develop – in the form of a mathematical model – a relationship between personal factors, and biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors of musculoskeletal load and the probability of developing musculoskeletal disorders.
As a result of the project:
- a database was developed with cases of musculoskeletal disorders related to personal risk factors (gender, age, years of work, etc.) and risk factors related to the working environment that describe posture, exerted force, time sequences and psychosocial factors;
- work tasks related to the greatest risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders were selected;
- experiments were conducted; on their basis load and fatigue of selected body regions during work tasks that posed a high risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders were determined;
- a mathematical model was developed for assessing the probability of developing musculoskeletal disorders;
- a computer program was developed for assessing the probability of developing musculoskeletal disorders; the results of experimental studies were used in testing selected cases.

Application:
The tool that was developed within the project can be used, e.g., in assessing the probability of developing musculoskeletal disorders depending on the risk factors at workstations. The MSDs program will be posted on the CIOP-PIB website, which means that it will be generally available.
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Project number: 1.R.11
Author name: Joanna Bugajska
Title:
A study of the effect of psychosocial working conditions on the rate of musculoskeletal disorders
Key words: musculoskeletal disorders, psychosocial working conditions, research

Description:
The aim of this research task was to establish the relationship between psychosocial working conditions and musculoskeletal disorders determined in medical examinations.
The study was prospective; it was done twice, with an interval of 12 months, in 750 workers reporting for periodic preventive examinations. Psychosocial working conditions were diagnosed with a “Your work” questionnaire.  Musculoskeletal disorders were assessed with a physical examination of the musculoskeletal system carried out by physicians who had been trained in administering diagnostic tests for overload syndromes of the musculoskeletal system. 542 persons took part in the second series of tests. Their mean age was 43.6 years, 75% were females, approximately 37% of the subjects were blue-collar workers, 33% were white-collar workers, 30% did mixed (blue- and white-collar) work.
The results of the tests showed that in this group of subjects disorders of the following regions were the most frequent: lower back (57%), wrist/hand (47%) and upper back (44%). To establish the relationship between psychosocial working conditions (demands, control, social support and  job insecurity) and selected overload syndromes hierarchic logistic regression analysis (SPSS 18.0) was done; selected physical aspects of work factors (work time, repetitiveness and exerted force) and individual factors (age, gender and sport) were controlled.


 
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Project number: 1.R.syn (1.R.01)
Author name:  Dorota Żołnierczyk – Zreda
Title:
Time requirement at work and leadership style in an organization in the context of mental well-being and mobbing in the workplace
Key words: worktime, mental well-being, mobbing, leadership

Description:
The aim of the study was to investigate if organizational practices such as flexible worktime and an authentic leadership style have a significant influence on mental well-being and on the risk of mobbing at work. One of the reasons for poor mental well-being can be identification of work-related job insecurity, which is considered one of the greatest modern psychosocial hazards in the working environment. The results of the inspections have shown that both of the variables considered, i.e., control over working time and authentic leadership, turned out to be effective in preventing mobbing and in maintaining mental well-being in workers working long hours. From that point of view, morality and openness of the leader have turned out to be most important. Those aspects of an authentic leader  as well as control over long hours also turned out to be most favourable for women working long hours, especially the youngest ones, aged 18-29 years.
On the basis of the results, flexible worktime and authentic leadership among workers have been recommended. Their aim is to prevent the negative effects of the impact of intensification of work on the workers’ well-being and the risk of mobbing at work.

Application:
On the basis of the results, flexible worktime and authentic leadership among workers have been recommended. Indirectly they make the policy of increased occupational activity in the youngest women possible and prevent the decrease in the number of children women bear.  They also encourage the oldest worker not to withdraw from the labour market.

 
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Project number: 8.S.06
Author name: Karolina Pawłowska
Title:
Studies on psychosocial conditions of motivation to take up jobs by people with disabilities in Poland
Key words: people with disabilities, job, motivation

Description:
The aim of the task was to determine psychosocial conditions of motivation of people with disabilities to take up jobs by  in the open labour market and in sheltered enterprises, and of people registered as unemployed and looking for work. The aim was also to develop training materials, guidelines and recommendation for services dealing with the rehabilitation of people with disabilities.
470 people with disabilities took part in the study. They were 18-65,  had a mobility dysfunction, a disability of the internal organs, vision impairment and hearing impairment.
In the study, which had the form of interviews, the following were used:  WPI (version for employers) by T. Amabile, adapted by M. Karwowski, A. Strzałecki's Creative Behaviour Style questionnaire, A.H.Buss and R. Polomin's EAS Temperament questionnaire and the authors' own questionnaire created for the purposes of this study.
An analysis of the obtained results showed that the most important motives for taking up or keeping a job was the need to be useful and economical matters.
The scale of external rewards was assessed as better than the scale of satisfaction from doing a job.
Internal motivation dominated external motivation.
Guidelines and recommendations for services dealing with the rehabilitation of people with disabilities were prepared. They focus on taking up activities that motivate those people to take up work.

 
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Project number: 8.S.04
Author name: Tomasz Tokarski
Title:
Reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in persons with a mobility dysfunction at assembly and operator workstations
Key words: persons with a mobility dysfunction, workstations, assembly worker,  operator, controlling limbs

Description:
The aim of the task was a comparative analysis of the precision of controlling upper and lower limbs in persons with a mobility dysfunction and in persons with no evidence of a disability, and determining the limit values of force for safe use of lower-limb control elements by persons with a  mobility dysfunction.
The task was completed through:
- an analysis of assembly and control workstations in view of using mechanisms of controlling the work process with lower-limb control elements
- determination of limit values of force for safe use of lower-limb control elements by persons with a  mobility dysfunction, in which the disability affected the upper limbs
- development of guidelines and training materials and running training courses in selected enterprises at assembly and operator workstations.
The studies that were conducted showed that, e.g., persons with a disability are less precise in controlling than persons with no evidence of a disability, but the characteristic of precision of controlling related to both the upper and the lower limb is similar. In the case of controlling with the upper limb, the differences between the subjects with a mobility dysfunction and subjects with no evidence of a dysfunction were not statistically significant.


 
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Author name: Anna Łuczak
Title:
Validation of the methodology of psychological tests for drivers in selected tests of psychomotor skills and cognitive processes, which are significant for drivers' occupational safety
Key words: validation, psychological tests, tests of psychomotor skills, drivers

Description:
The aim of the task was to validate selected tests of psychomotor skills and cognitive processes, which are part of the methodology of drivers' psychological tests used in Poland. Validation covered determining the validity of selected tests in view of their usefulness in diagnosing predisposition for driving or predisposition to working as a driver, determining the reliability of the analysed tests and developing test standards.
Six psychological tests were selected for validation. The validity of the developed tests was determined by estimating the criterion validity, in which safe functioning of human as a driver was the variable and its indicator was whether the driver had or had not been involved in an accident   in which there were fatalities or injured people. On the basis of the results of the analysis it was shown that the following tests were satisfactorily reliable: R-W test - mean simple reaction time to all stimuli and mean reaction time to optical stimuli; complex reaction time test - mean reaction time to all stimuli; and cross test - time of doing the test and the number of received stimuli. Least valid were the following tests: Poppelreuter, R-W test, simple reaction time test in mean simple reaction time to all stimuli, to optical stimuli, to acoustic stimuli and cross test in response time.
Test standards were developed for the tests that were considered valid and reliable at a satisfactory level.

Application:
The test results are aimed at psychologists who conduct psychological tests for drivers within psychological certification on predispositions or lack of them for driving or doing work as a driver.

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Project number: 4.S.36
Author name: Magdalena Warszewska-Makuch
Title:
Developing tools for assessing the risk of mobbing in an organization
Key words: risk assessment, mobbing, survey

Description:
The task began with a review of earlier studies and tools for assessing the risk of mobbing. As a result, a pilot questionnaire for assessing the risk of mobbing was developed.  It consisted of 38 items of 8 theoretical subscales, i.e., organization fairness, conflicts in the team, role conflict, workload, leadership, lack of job security, control over work and organizational culture.  Then there were focus groups. Interviews took place in 4 sessions (26 people in total).  The conclusions were the basis for a verification and improvement of the pilot version of the questionnaire for assessing the risk of mobbing.  A questionnaire consisting of 50 questions in 10 theoretical subscales resulted. It was used to study 421 people representing five occupational groups (nurses, public administration officers, municipal transport drivers, teachers and industrial workers) employed in three provinces (mazowieckie, łódzkie and górnośląskie).
The results confirmed psychometric correctness of the whole scale for assessing the risk of mobbing  (ORM) (sten standards). However, the results of factor analysis showed that the empirical model was somewhat different from the theoretical model.
The validity of the theoretical model was verified primarily by testing if the mean values of position, subscales and the whole ORM scale were different in the group of victims of mobbing and the group of nonvictims. Significant differences were identified both in the whole scale and in most of the empirical scales and the individual items on the scale.
The final stage of the project consisted in developing standards for the whole group of subjects, and separately for men and women.
The developed tool is primarily meant for assessing the risk at group level. However, this scale can also be used for individual workers.

Application:
The developed questionnaire is a practical tool for monitoring the risk of mobbing in an organization and is suitable for general use.