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The specific risks and workloads of urban public transport drivers create a net for the development of several health issues. It is worth mentioning the impact of the work regime on this type of workers’ metabolic and cardiovascular health. This paper represents a sequence from an ample study that has followed the effects of this professional activity on worker’s health and work capacity and has established prevention / reduction of identified risk factors measures. The health state analysis was realized through a prevalence study on three cohorts (bus, tram, trolleybus drivers). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was the highest in the group of the bus drivers, 16.7%. The 10-year fatal cardiovascular disease risk in both the increased risk category and very increased risk category was the highest in the trolleybus drivers’ cohort, 29%, respectively 6%. Major contributing pathology, such as hypertension and type II diabetes, starts in the 36-45 years of age group regardless of gender in all three cohorts signalizing an early wear and is already important in the 46-55 years of age group.

The paper presents some results of an applicative study on work related stress in transport activities. The premises of this research derived from a pilot study concerning psychosocial risk factors that could determine work related stress and effects on work behaviour and health state that was developed involving five fields of activity with high exposure on work related stress (education, health, transport, banks, financial consulting). The study aimed to identify the main psychosocial risk factors in transport field and to analyse the specific results in correlation with the outcomes of the pilot study. A complex ergonomic methodology was used, and one of the main instruments used to identify psychosocial factors was the Romanian version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ).

The paper presents some results of an extended study on work conditions and mental demands in culture activities – especially for museum personnel. The study aimed to emphasize the occupational risks and nocivities and the mental (neuro-psychical) demands of activity. A complex methodology was used, including different techniques and instruments concerning the activity characteristics and the subjective assessment of the work demands as well.

Drivers in urban public transport are exposed to specific risks and workloads with both somatic and psychological effects on their health. The most common somatic disorders are musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs), especially those of the spine, and some of them can be occupational diseases. The present paper represents a sequence from an ample study that has followed the effects of this professional activity on work aptitude and workers’ state of health and then has established prevention measures, respectively measures for reduction of identified risk factors. An ergonomic, complex and multidimensional methodology has been used. The health state analysis has been performed through a prevalence, cross-sectional study on three cohorts (bus, tram, trolleybus drivers). In all groups, a high percentage of spinal pathology has been found, especially lumbosacral. The highest percentage of dorsopathies has been registered in the group of the trolleybus drivers (48%), followed by the tram (43%) and the bus (42%). In all three cohorts, a significant percentage in disc herniation in the age group 36-45 years old has been found, which can indicate premature wear. The identification of occupational risk factors has allowed for the establishment of a set of prevention / reduction measures.

A pilot study concerning psychosocial risk factors that could determine work related stress and effects on work behaviour and health state was developed involving five fields of activity with high exposure on work related stress (education, health, transport, banking, financial consultancy). The study aimed to identify the main specific psychosocial risk factors in every of the five fields, in order to substantiate a method for assessing the risk factors for work related stress. The study used a complex ergonomic methodology, and one of the main instruments used to identify psychosocial factors was the Romanian version of The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ).

The article presents a part of a broader study on identifying and monitoring occupational risks, early detection of signs and symptoms of reversible impairment of physical and mental health of staff, decrease in work capacity and the occurrence of deficient, risky behavior in working practices, as a result of intense neuropsychological or physical professional effort. The results of the study aimed at highlighting: professional effort factors experienced by the trial subjects; occupational risk factors that cannot be avoided and which, due to the nature of the workload and the conditions for completing it, can in time lead to reduced work capacity, premature wear and tear, work-related illnesses and risky behaviors in the workplace, with serious consequences for the safety and health of employees and / or other people; measures to prevent and reduce identified work and stress factors, in order to ensure health and safety at work, optimal use of human resources and maintenance of work capacity throughout the professional life. The results can be implemented in the actions taken to ensure occupational health and safety regulations and to monitor employees’ health conditions and their work capacity in accordance with the legislation in force.

Objective A consensual definition of occupational burnout is currently lacking. We aimed to harmonize the definition of occupational burnout as a health outcome in medical research and reach a consensus on this definition within the Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET). Methods First, we performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase (January 1990 to August 2018) and a semantic analysis of the available definitions. We used the definitions of burnout and burnout-related concepts from the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) to formulate a consistent harmonized definition of the concept. Second, we sought to obtain the Delphi consensus on the proposed definition. Results We identified 88 unique definitions of burnout and assigned each of them to 1 of the 11 original definitions. The semantic analysis yielded a first proposal, further reformulated according to SNOMED-CT and the panelists` comments as follows: "In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems". A panel of 50 experts (researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest for occupational burnout) reached consensus on this proposal at the second round of the Delphi, with 82% of experts agreeing on it. Conclusion This study resulted in a harmonized definition of occupational burnout approved by experts from 29 countries within OMEGA-NET. Future research should address the reproducibility of the Delphi consensus in a larger panel of experts, representing more countries, and examine the practicability of the definition.