Evaluation of the preventive tool G46 of the German Social Accident Insurance with regard to effectivity and practicability – first step: cross-sectional analysis

Project-Nr. FF-FP0293

Status:

ongoing 08/2009

Aims:

This study aims at detecting and gathering the current status quo of cutting machine operators with regard to their musculoskeletal health by physical examination. Apart from that, potential risk factors (physical and psychosocial) for the development of back pain will be regarded in this project. Furthermore, within the context of this project, there will be efforts to understand how the preventive tool G46 can be realised in practice, and how occupational health experts and employees accept this preventive tool.

Activities/Methods:

In this project, altogether 400 cutting machine operators of the metal industry will be physically examined with regard to their musculoskeletal system. Apart from that, their workplaces will be examined with different screening tools with regard to physical exposures and at selected workplaces, measurements with CUELA will be performed.
Additional examinations of the work-related psychosocial strain of the participating employees will take place. Here, employees will be interviewed using standardized questionnaires in order to report about their own perception of strain on the one hand, on the other hand, trained observers will try to assess the workplace objectively.
Finally, all participating persons (employees and occupational health experts) will be questioned about the practicability of this tool.

Last update:

02/05/11