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Occupation-related and physiologic studies in workers using personal computers revealed variable degrees of changed visual performance in accordance with work conditions class and integral parameter of work intensity. Findings are that the performance change is caused by lower accomodation volume and decrease in temporary characteristics of clear vision stability. Correlation was established between work conditions class and percentage of the performance decrease during the working shift in videodisplay users.

There are presented the data of workers overstrain and fatigue conditions mechanisms based on physiological, psychological and ergonomic aspects of work processes in different types of activities (mental, visual-strained, physical). 15-year historical analysis, current state and prospects of labor physiology methods development are shown. Complex physiological and ergonomic investigations have allowed developing the measures of work ability raise and diseases prevention for workers various professions. Obtained results provided the basis of development of regulatory documents in area of human organism strain physiological norms, consequences of psycho-emotional stress and overstrain prevention taking into account working conditions class.

One of the most important tasks of occupational medicine is prevention of overexertion and occupational diseases in physical workers with various characters and degree of muscular exertion (local, regional and general). The studies demonstrated strong corellation between work conditions class in work hardiness, functional state and level of diseases development among 50 occupational groups examined. The article covers specific and differentiated measures on rational work and rest schedules, and other prophylactic means, with consideration of work conditions class for physical workers.

The functional status of the visual analyzer was studied in professional users of video display terminals (VDT) in relation to the type of displayed information. It was shown that irrespective of the type of displayed information, the VDT users developed visual fatigue over time. With unidirectional changes, visual fatigue was ascertained to be more pronounced and to have developed prematurely in users of VDT with alphanumeric information than in those of VDT with graphic information.

The authors demonstrated that incomplete consideration of ergonomic requirements in occupational process organization results in more intensive work and therefore to marked unfavorable changes in various human body systems. Preventing functional strain and lowering the occupational risk requires special measures implemented into daily work schedule and into activities of occupational rehabilitation centers.

The article tackles necessity of physiologic and ergonomic research in system of social and hygienic monitoring of workers' performance and health. A presented scheme covers physiologic and ergonimic aspects: monitoring of work process factors; monitoring of workers' performance and functional state. The authors formulated theoretic orientation of the problem and demonstrated scientific and practical importance of physiologic and ergonomic monitoring.

Complex descriptive, physiologic and hygienic studies covered various occupational groups of physical and mental work and revealed that health disorders probability depends on intensity of occupational factors. Increase in the intensity results in higher physiologic expenditure and greater incidence of occupational diseases. Symptoms of disorders appeared to depend on specificity of occupational factors.

The authors demonstrated that work of female molders, acquisitors and stacking packers is characterized by physical load, great number of cliched manual movements, intensive inclinations of corpse and constrained working posture. Prolonged exposure to unfavorable occupational factors results in neuromuscular and cardiovascular stress that induces pathologic changes with increasing length of service. Complex of prophylactic measures suggested by the authors proves effective as releases working strain and delays fatigue during the working shift.

The authors studied strain degree and fatigue severity in long-standing inconvenient postures at work of automobile loader operators. Those workers perform tasks in various postures due to the design of automobile loaders. Compared to standardized postures, long-standing inconvenient ones of automobile loader operators, characterized by left turn of corpse, appear to result in marked overstrain and significant fatigue of neuromuscular apparatus. If specific prophylaxis is absent, the work in such postures could induce considerable fatigue.

Physiological and clinical on-the-spot studies were performed of the labour conditions in 3 groups of female sewing-machine operators (respectively, engaged in making women's dresses, men's suits and men's coats). The analysis performed revealed different degrees of physical load and fatigue in the operators depending on the occupational peculiarities. Specific features of the peripheral nervous system and locomotor system disorders were studied in details, along with the causal relationships underlying the degree of physical load and fatiguability, overstrain development and cumulation. The results of the study were used as a basis for setting Health-Related regulations for sewing-machine operators.

The research data proposed proved the key role of the muscles' static tension in the process of fatiguability and strain growth in glass-work polishers' neuromuscular mechanisms. It was proved that a comparatively greater static load on the shoulder girdle muscles in glass-work polishers, as compared to crystal-polishers, results in more vivid pathologic changes in this professional group. The research served as a basis for a set of health-related measures, including both palliative and radical approaches.

The article provides data on the physiological value workload in lifting weights from different surface levels (the floor and working surface at the level of 0.7 m from the floor), at different rates and at the distance of 0.7 m. The results of the study proved that, in case of manual lifting of weights, the rate and the surface level are the most important factors accounting for the degree and the nature of the physiological reactions, e. i the physiological value of the workload. Manual lifting of weights from the working surface is marked by a lower physiological value of workload and higher efficiency. This should be taken into account in manual labour planning, workload and labour intensity evaluation, labour conditions and recreation improvement.

Comparative data on the physiologic value of carrying over (along the horizontal surface with the rate of walking of 4.5 km/hr) and load lifting from the floor up to 0.7 m with the rate of 6, 10, 16 per min are given, the magnitude of external load with the weight of 4-300 H being different. Physiologic values of the completed work have been compared because of the significant difference in the work load when lifting and carrying over some objects. It is demonstrated that external load magnitude and physiologic value of muscular work are directly correlated. Physiologic work value during load lifting per work unit is higher than that during its carrying over. The ratio of physiologic value of load carrying over and lifting is different under various magnitudes of external load.

The working conditions of the female workers engaged in industrial painting do not correspond to the optimal criteria and exceeds the permissible levels in some respects. Considerable muscle loads which cause the workers' fatigue and corporal pain lead to the overstain of the locomotor system. A complex of health improving measures is proposed to create more favorable labour conditions, lower fatiguability and promote prevention of locomotor system disorders.