A muscular endurance training program for symmetrical and asymmetrical manual lifting tasks

Article Abstract:

Many occupations involve manual lifting tasks. A study was conducted to determine whether a 16-session physical training program would increase the endurance limits of workers engaged in manual lifting tasks. Twenty-seven male college students participated in this study. During the 12 months prior to the study they had not participated in any strenuous exercise or sports programs. Subjects were divided into three groups; symmetrical lifting training (SLT); asymmetrical lifting training (ALT); and control. The control group attended two sessions, four weeks apart. The SLT and ALT groups met for 16 sessions. Each student in these training groups was asked to perform lifting tasks that simulated routine operations performed in a packing plant. Subjects were told to work as fast as possible and to work at that rate until they could no longer keep it up. The training program increased the endurance time of the SLT students by 248 percent, and the ALT students by 46 percent. These improvements were attributed to both an increase in muscular endurance and an improvement in lifting technique. The control group showed no significant change in muscular endurance. The disparity between the SLT and the ALT groups shows that improvement in an individual's physical capabilities takes a longer time when the task to be performed is more complex. This study demonstrates the usefulness of physical training programs as a means of preventing overexertion injuries in newly hired and transfer workers in strenuous occupations. It is not clear whether such a program would benefit experienced workers. Implementation of a training program should be based on a study of overexertion injury records. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Prevention, Physiological aspects, Training, Wounds and injuries, Injuries, Muscle strength, Work, Work (Labor), Lifting and carrying

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Smoking and morbidity frequency in a working population

Article Abstract:

There is no longer any doubt that cigarette smoking is a serious health risk. Cigarette smokers are 70 percent more likely than nonsmokers to die from various diseases. A study was performed at five Shell refineries and petrochemical plants between 1983 and 1987 to compare the overall morbidity (sickness and accident rate) among three groups: nonsmokers, exsmokers and current smokers. Morbidity data covered work absences in excess of five days and the study included 6,932 workers. The frequency rates were computed per 100 employees for several categories of illnesses and injuries, including diseases of the circulatory system and respiratory system, motor vehicle and non-motor-vehicle accidents, neoplasms, and miscellaneous illnesses and injuries. In all categories, current smokers had the highest overall frequency of morbidity, followed by exsmokers. Nonsmokers had the lowest rates. The study showed the rate of motor vehicle accidents to be 75 percent higher for male smokers than nonsmokers. Although the relationship between smoking and motor vehicle accidents was well established prior to this study, the results also showed that current smokers had a rate of non-motor-vehicle accidents that was 60 percent higher than that of nonsmokers, for both men and women. This could be due to the physical or psychological characteristics of smokers, or the pharmacological effects of nicotine on alertness. This study supports the theory that the implementation of smoking cessation programs in industry can reduce illness and injury significantly. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Causes of, Accidents, Smoking, Worker absenteeism, Absenteeism (Labor), Sick leave, Tobacco habit

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