Occupational Physiology

Description

A clear and accessible text on work physiology, this book focuses on important issues in the modern working life. Taking up some of today's major public health problems - musculoskeletal disorders and stress, this book explains connections between work, well-being and health according to up-to-date research in the field. It gives an orientation of useful methods for risk assessments and provides guidelines on arranging a good working life from the perspective of the working individual, the company and the society as a whole.

Features

• Addresses occupational hazards and the health benefits of following good work protocols
• Each chapter combines physiological, epidemiological, and occupational information with guidelines and suggestions for improvement
• A comprehensive yet practical source about the human body in modem work life

Table of Contents

• Work, work life, work life physiology, Allan Toomingas, Svend Erik Mathiassen, Ewa Wigaeus Tornqvist
• Work - a dominating aspect of life
• Work, load and physiological response
• Exertion and fatigue
• Work ability
• Adaptation - good and bad
• The prerequisites for human work
• Work related disorders of the musculoskeletal system
• Work (life) physiology in a historical perspective
• Work life physiology - this book

• Work with high energy load, Ewa Wigaeus Tornqvist
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of demand on high energy load in work life
• Energy metabolism and physiological adaptations to increased energy load
• Energy metabolism
• Mechanical efficiency
• Oxygen consumption
• Pulmonary ventilation
• Circulation of blood
• Factors that influence the individual load at a given external load
• Assessments of energy demands at work
• Work load in relation to physical capacity
• Effects of high energetic load
• Recommended limits
• What to do about work with high energy load?
• What does the law say about work with high energy load?
• Summary
• References and read more

• Work with high muscular load, Katarina Kjellberg
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• What characterizes work with high muscular load
• Prevalence of high muscular load in work life
• The structure and function of the locomotor system
• Load on the locomotor system at high muscular work
• Gender aspects
• Age aspects
• Physiological response at work with high muscular load
• Musculoskeletal disorders related to work with high muscular load
• Risk factors
• Methods to estimate the load on the locomotor system
• Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders related to high muscular load
• What does the law say about work with high muscle load?
• What to do about work with high muscular load?
• Summary
• References and read more

• Work in extreme postures, Karin Harms-Ringdahl
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of awkward postures in work life
• Descriptions of the exposure
• Normal physiological responses and the underlying mechanisms
• Potential negative effects of the exposure
• Prevalence of disorders
• Risk assessment
• What to do about critical conditions
• What does the law say about work in extreme postures?
• Summary
• References and read more

• Work that is highly repetitive, Fredrik hellstrom
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of highly repetitive work in work life
• Repetitiveness and exposure
• The physiology of repetitive movement
• Pathophysiological mechanisms at exposure to highly repetitive movements
• Consequences of repetitive load on the population level
• Risk assessment
• What can be done to minimize the risks of repetitive work?
• What does the law say about repetitive work?
• Summary
• References and read more

• Long lasting low intensive sedentary work, Allan Toomingas
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of long lasting low intensive sedentary work
• What characterizes long lasting low intensive sedentary work
• Muscles at work
• The arms and hands are flexible but needs stabilization
• Static load of the muscular system
• Problems related to long lasting low intensive sedentary work
• Gender and age related differences
• Models of explanation
• Scientific evaluations
• Sedentariness - a health risk in itself
• Is this a long lasting low intensive sedentary work?
• What does the law say about long lasting low intensive sedentary work?
• Suggestions of what to do?
• Summary
• References and read more

• Work with high mental load, Bo Melin
• The focus of this chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of work with high mental load
• Stressors and stress reactions
• Stress reactions - a somatic response to mental exposures
• Neural adaptation
• Endocrine adaptation
• Stress reactions in two different systems: SAM-system and the HPA-axis
• The autonomic nerve-system and the sympathico-adrenomedullaru (SAM) system
• The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
• The hypothalamic - pituitary - adrenocortex axis
• Influence on mental load from conditions relating to organization of work
• Common psychosocial models
• The psychosocial environment is perceived differently
• Individual differences
• Special factors related to working hours
• Reducing risks
• Summary
• References and read more

• Work in cold or warm temperatures, Desiree Gavhed
• The focus ofthis chapter and delimitations to other chapters
• Prevalence of work in cold or warm temperatures
• What characterizes work in low or high temperatures?
• Heat production, heat dissipation and temperature regulation
• Cold temperature
• Warm temperatures
• Indoor air climate
• Gender aspects on work in extreme temperatures
• Age aspects on work in extreme temperatures
• Measurements and evaluations of the thermal climate
• Interventions on climate problems
• What does the law say about work in cold or warm temperatures?
• Summary
• References and read more

• A good work life for everyone, Allan Toomingas, Margareta Bratt Carstrom, Svend Erik Mathiassen
• Work is important
• The good work - some principles
• To maintain and to increase work ability
• What does the law say?
• Mainstreams in today's working life
• Balance