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Occupational medical/health services and medical fitness for work

Publication at First Faculty of Medicine |
2014

Abstract

The goal of article is generalization of medical and social aspects of current practice of occupational health services providers in medical fitness assessment for work. Targeted analysis of 515646 of certificates on fitness for work in railway occupations during 2002 -2012 according to the currently valid special legislation in terms of their conclusions (medically fit, fit with restriction, unfit) and available data on causes of restrictions was presented.

Medical fitness for work was found in 461,689 (89.5%) cases, fitness with restriction in 47773 (9.3%) cases and medical unfitness in 6184 (1.2%) cases. The cause of medical restrictions were mainly limited sensory functions, vision (40,343, 7.8%) and much less frequently hearing (616, 0.1%).

The remaining part of the medical fitness with restrictions (6814, 1.2%) could not be clarified, however, could not be a cause related to working conditions / influence of harmful work environment factors on health. Probably it was a contraindication for work due to more serious diseases, such as metabolic and cardiovascular.

Fitness assesment for work has a significant social impact on the assessed persons and requires most responsible approach, among other things, increasing the proportion of aging working population with more frequent occurrence, for example, metabolic, cardiovascular, or mesculoskeletal disorders.