<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The present work is focused on occupational health problems caused by ergonomic risk in firefighting, which is one of the most hazardous occupations. The aim was to evaluate the work heaviness degree and to estimate the muscle fatigue for a study group consisting of 12 firefighters-rescuers. Applying qualitative ergonomic analyses (OWAS a.o.) and clinical experiments to determine consumed metabolic energy using heart rate monitoring, the following work hardness categories were observed: firefighter-rescuer — category III (hard work, 8.2 ± 1.2 kcal/min); commanding officers — category II (moderate work, 6.0 ± 1.6 kcal/min). Assessment of muscle strain and functional state (tone) using myotonometric measurements showed several muscle tone levels, allowing subdivision of firefighters into different conditional categories basing on muscle tone and fatigue: I — a state of equilibrium when muscles are able to adapt to the work load and are partly able to relax; and II — muscle fatigue and increased tone. It was also found that the increase of muscle tone and fatigue mainly depended on workers physical preparedness and length of service, and less on their age. Assessment interaction of mental and physical load using NASA-TLX method indicated that the highest degree of total workload was for several firemen, especially, commanding officers when temporary demands, task performance, effort and frustration were taken into consideration.</p></abstract>

The present work is focused on occupational health problems caused by ergonomic risk in firefighting, which is one of the most hazardous occupations. The aim was to evaluate the work heaviness degree and to estimate the muscle fatigue for a study group consisting of 12 firefighters-rescuers. Applying qualitative ergonomic analyses (OWAS a.o.) and clinical experiments to determine consumed metabolic energy using heart rate monitoring, the following work hardness categories were observed: firefighter-rescuer — category III (hard work, 8.2 ± 1.2 kcal/min); commanding officers — category II (moderate work, 6.0 ± 1.6 kcal/min). Assessment of muscle strain and functional state (tone) using myotonometric measurements showed several muscle tone levels, allowing subdivision of firefighters into different conditional categories basing on muscle tone and fatigue: I — a state of equilibrium when muscles are able to adapt to the work load and are partly able to relax; and II — muscle fatigue and increased tone. It was also found that the increase of muscle tone and fatigue mainly depended on workers physical preparedness and length of service, and less on their age. Assessment interaction of mental and physical load using NASA-TLX method indicated that the highest degree of total workload was for several firemen, especially, commanding officers when temporary demands, task performance, effort and frustration were taken into consideration.

Assessment of firefighters-rescuers' work severity in relation with interaction between physical and mental load

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela 48, Rīga, LV-1013, LATVIA

Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Rīga Technical University, Meža iela 48, Rīga, LV-1048, LATVIA

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

The present work is focused on occupational health problems caused by ergonomic risk in firefighting, which is one of the most hazardous occupations. The aim...

Assessment of firefighters-rescuers' work severity in relation with interaction between physical and mental load

Publié en ligne: 23 avr. 2010

Pages: 264 - 270

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10046-010-0002-0

Mots clés
firefighters, physical and mental load, myotonometry, heart rate, muscles fatigue

This content is open access.

Assessment of firefighters-rescuers' work severity in relation with interaction between physical and mental load

Publié en ligne: 23 avr. 2010

Pages: 264 - 270

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10046-010-0002-0

Mots clésfirefighters, physical and mental load, myotonometry, heart rate, muscles fatigue

This content is open access.

Mots clés
firefighters, physical and mental load, myotonometry, heart rate, muscles fatigue