Development of methods and tools to examine working conditions using subjective assessments of occupational exposure.

Project manager: Zofia Pawłowska Ph.D. (Eng.)

Project summary:

A draft questionnaire to collect information on the subjective assessment of occupational exposure at work environment and work-related symptoms was created and verified during a pilot study. Subsequently, studies were performed in a group of 1172 working people, among which vast majority (87%) performed physical work. The largest group of respondents reported exposure to repetitive movements of hands and / or arms (83%), adopting postures that cause fatigue and / or pain (80%), handling and / or manual moving of heavy objects (79%), as well as a large physical effort (74%). Participants determined exposure as small, if in their opinion it was not felt or only sometimes caused momentary indisposition; medium - if often ended with a feeling of discomfort or sometimes disease that caused several days absence from work, and large - if caused serious injury, sickness or frequent illness causing absence from work. Information and training materials were published on the CIOP-PIB website and included in particular information regarding working conditions test results, a description of questionnaire for subjective testing and characterization of occupational exposure. Electronic version of the questionnaire and spreadsheet program enabling recording and analysis of research results were also published on the CIOP-PIB website.

Unit: Department of Safety and Health Management

Duration: 01.01.2011 – 31.12.2013