Results of Implementing Preventive Health Measures for Workers of Certain Occupations in the Shipbuilding Industry

Abstract

Background: The shipbuilding industry is one of the leading sectors of the national economy of our country. In St. Petersburg, shipyards employ up to 60 % of all blue-collar workers, most of them being engineering technicians and shipbuilding specialists. Chippers occupy a special place among the latter. It is known that chippers performing heavy and extremely heavy physical labor often develop occupational diseases induced by hand and arm overstrain, such as epicondylosis, rotator cuff syndrome, and osteoarthritis. Prolonged static and dynamic loads on the upper extremities in combination with hand-arm vibration and forced postures cause dystrophic changes in the cartilage (arthrosis), and then in the bone tissue (osteoarthritis), thus necessitating appropriate preventive measures to preserve work ability of shipbuilders, including chippers. Objective: To evaluate effectiveness of specially developed and patented techniques based exposure to low-intensity laser radiation for restoring occupationally impaired functions of the musculoskeletal system. Material and methods: In 2021, we studied working conditions of 38 chippers and 25 engineering technicians aged 35 to 58 years, with at least 10 years of employment, experiencing muscle tension and overstrain of the upper extremities. All the workers were examined by a surgeon and a neurologist. To restore the functional state of the upper limb blood supply, laser radiation in the red region of the spectrum was applied to the back surface of workers’ hands. Regional blood circulation of the hands was then evaluated using a Mizar-REO rheograph, Mizar LLC, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. Results: After ten 5-minute sessions of radiation therapy, the number of complaints of general fatigue, irritability, lethargy, weakness, and sleep disturbance decreased by 2.5 and 3 times in chippers and engineering technicians, respectively. The number of complaints of headaches, pain in the heart and hands reduced as well. Only two chippers reported persistence of some minor pains in their hands. The regional blood circulation also demonstrated an objective improvement. Conclusion: Exposure of the dorsal side of hands to low-intensity laser radiation in the red region of the spectrum effectively relieves vasospasm of the upper extremities and leads to an improvement in blood supply. Introduction of the developed preventive care measure will contribute to occupational disease and disability prevention.