The elaboration of preventive measures when working in an open area during the cold season of the year

Introduction. The extraction of minerals is associated with a permanent or periodic stay of workers at open production sites. However, there is an underestimation of the impact of working meteorological factors on the health both in the system of regulation and control over working conditions.

The aim of the study is to scientifically substantiate approaches to the development of preventive measures to minimize the risk of health disorders and inform about the risk when working in an open area during the cold season.

Materials and methods. The study included employees of the oil-producing enterprise of Western Siberia Samotlorneftegaz, performing labour operations in open areas during the cold season (operators, machinists, repairmen). The study included three stages: a priori risk assessment, a posteriori risk assessment, and an assessment of the individual characteristics of employees. The a priori risk assessment based on production control data and a special assessment of working conditions for the period from 2014 to 2018. A posteriori risk assessment based on data from periodic medical examinations. Personal characteristics based on the results of a questionnaire, in natural and model tests.

Results. A quantitative assessment of a priori and a posteriori risk made it possible to identify groups of workers with a significant risk of developing occupational and general pathology, as well as to prioritize preventive measures aimed at preventing the harmful effects of working environment factors and the labour process on the health of an employee. The assessment of local and general violations of thermoregulation in workers performing labour operations in open areas during the cold season made it possible to establish individual risk factors: prolonged work in open areas (more than 60% of working time), the presence of chronic pathology, smoking habit and work experience.

Limitations. As part of this study, the assessment of the health status of workers based on data from periodic medical examinations. At the same time, the study does not include the results of medical examinations at the place of residence of workers, which can expand data on the health status of workers and be the subject of further research. Further research on the stated topic may be associated with the need to assess an additional list of individual characteristics when working in an open area during the cold season, taking into account genetic and biochemical markers.

Conclusion. The results obtained made it possible to substantiate a set of measures to minimize the risk of health disorders at the level of primary prevention, as well as to propose measures at the level of secondary prevention.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study with the participation of volunteers was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov (Protocol of November 22, 2017, No.12).

Contribution:
Meltser A.V. — concept and research design, choice of analytical methods, data collection and processing, writing the text, editing, approval of the final version of the article;
Polyakova E.M. — literature review, data collection and processing, database creation, analysis of the results obtained, statistical analysis, writing the text of the article;
Yakubova I.Sh. — literary review, choice of analytical methods, processing and analysis of the obtained data, statistical analysis, writing the text, editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Erastova N.V. — literary review, editing;
Kropot A.I. — literary review, editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version. 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship. 

Received: May17, 2022 / Accepted: August 04, 2022 / Published: September 14, 2022