The objective of the review was to gain more insight into the effects of occupational interventions for primary prevention of musculoskeletal symptoms in healthcare workers. The Cochrane Collaboration methodological guidelines for systematic reviews functioned as a starting point. Thirteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria were analysed for methodological quality and effects. Eight outcome...

This paper discusses the eVect of occupational hassles on negative mood and eVort exertion. Expert ratings were used to measure the predictor variables, assignment complexity and hassles severity, whereas the dependent variables were measured with validated self-report scales. Using pooled-time series analysis on daily records of a sample of military jump masters (parachute trainers), it was sh...

BACKGROUND Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis among adults is notorious because of the prolonged incapacitating fatigue it causes. AIMS To investigate the duration of sickness absence and return to work following infectious mononucleosis. METHODS Episodes of sickness absence due to infectious mononucleosis were selected from an occupational health services register. The duration of...

AIMS To examine the relations between work characteristics as defined by the Job Demand-Control-Support model (JDCS) (that is, job demands, decision latitude, and social support), diabetes related burden (symptoms, seriousness of disease, self care activities, and disease duration), and fatigue in employees with diabetes mellitus. METHODS Employees (n = 292) aged 30-60 years, with insulin tre...

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by severe, persistent fatigue which is not relieved by rest and is not associated to other medical conditions. Other common symptoms are including concentration and memory impairment, muscle and multiple joints pain, extreme exhaustion after physical or mental exertions, irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms and depression, anxiety, mood swings and pan...

STUDY DESIGN Spine loads associated with lifting a 9-kg weight were estimated at three torso flexion angles (0 degrees, 22.5 degrees, and 45 degrees), and lumbosacral motion segments were cyclically loaded using these loads until failure or to a maximum of 10,020 cycles. OBJECTIVES To simulate the postures and loads experienced by the lumbar spine during repetitive lifting of moderate weights...

Automation technique has been widely used in manufacturing industry, but there are still manual handling operations required in assembly and maintenance work in industry. Inappropriate posture and physical fatigue might result in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in such physical jobs. In ergonomics and occupational biomechanics, virtual human modelling techniques have been employed to design an...

Fatigue associated with shiftwork is a key contributor to human error in the workplace. One way to prevent fatigue-related errors from occurring is to identify fatigue in employees using fitness-for-duty measures. The Occupational Safety Performance Assessment Test (OSPAT), an unpredictable tracking task that measures hand-eye coordination, is currently being used as a fitness-for-duty measure ...

OBJECTIVES Building on Karasek's model of job demands and control (JD-C model), this study examined the effects of job control, quantitative workload, and two occupation specific job demands (physical demands and supervisor demands) on fatigue and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers. METHODS From 1181 lorry drivers (adjusted response 63%) self reported information was gathered by quest...

OBJECTIVE To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic. DESIGN Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing diso...