Evaluation of occupational risks associated to biochemical indicators in professional drivers

Abstract

Introduction: in the field of Occupational Security and Health, highway transportation is still affronting a series of conditionings. The implantation of preventive actions in transport enterprises is been taking place gradually, forced by the interest of government and autonomic administrations, businessmen and workers and their respective organizations.
Aim: to evaluate ergonomically the main risks associated to driving.
Materials and Methods: the evaluation has three stages: the identification and assessment of the risks professional drivers are at, the assessment of potential pathologies associated to the activity, the identification of bio-chemical indicators involved in the activity.
Outcomes: driving long periods without break and highway’s characteristics stood out in the first stage. The second stage is developed beginning from a medical examination and a survey to know the potential pathologies, being the musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders the ones with higher presence. In the first and last stage biochemical indicators are analyzed: cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B. Finally, the causes that may condition them are showed, and also several elements that should be considered to minimize their influence on drivers´ health.
Conclusions: the main ergonomic risks were determined as a result of the assessment and it also was reaffirmed the existent criteria of considering that stressing professions compromise several somatic and sensorial structures, the manifestations of which are measurable and allow to infer the burnout the organism suffered.