Methodological approaches for quantitative assessment of health risk associated with the labour process strength

Abstract

Introduction. Labour employment of the population is increasingly associated with mental activity and is characterized by increasing stress. The article presented and tested methodical approaches to the quantitative health risk assessment associated with the labour process strength (LPS), taking into account it’s detailing by type of load. Materials and methods. In the course of the work, analytical, epidemiological, and statistical methods were used. The proposed approaches were tested on the example of assessing the health risk of male employees of oil and gas production operators (OGPO), aged from 26 to 59 years (average age: 44.51 ± 8.01 years) with work experience in the profession of from 3 up to 33 years old (average experience 17.05 ± 8.89 years). Results. The developed algorithm for assessing the health risk associated with LPS includes using a tool (checklist), which will allow, along with a comprehensive assessment, assessing detailed types of loads - intellectual, emotional, sensory, monotony mode of work. The checklist contains the specified characteristics of the LPS assessment indicators and criteria that allow us to weigh the degree of tension (0 - there is no effect on this indicator, 4 - the influence on the indicator is most pronounced). The procedure provides for a quantitative assessment of occupational health risk and determination of the contribution of detailed load types to the formation of risk. The results of testing confirm the validity of the proposed approaches. The risk of developing a gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer due to sensory load was revealed to be 2 • 10-2 and was classified as medium. As a result of exposure to sensory load and operating mode, the risk of developing atherosclerosis is 5.7 • 10-2 and 9.8 • 10-2, respectively, and classified as high. The risk of developing atherosclerosis associated with exposure to two significant LPS components is 14.9 ∙ 10-2. In this case, the contribution of the load associated with the mode of work in the development of atherosclerosis is more significant (66%) than the sensory (34%) load. Conclusion. The developed methods to assess the intensity of the labor process allow moving on to a quantitative assessment of risk and identifying the role (contribution) of individual, detailed types of loads in the formation of occupational health risks, and determining targeted preventive measures.