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Biomedical subjects

Z Kowalski

Publications and source records attributed to Z Kowalski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Current principles of hygienic standards setting (Part II).

The paper presents general principles of setting the hygienic standards for substances of threshold effect and nonthreshold agents. The authors introduced the mathematical models used for quantitative risk assessment and models for assessment of the dose-response relationship according to the physiological principles.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Occupational exposure standards. Historical outline and present state.

The paper presents the history of hygienic standards setting in various countries, as well as the current situation in this respect. Methodological approaches to hygienic standards setting in the USA and USSR have been analysed and compared. The paper shows also the contribution of international organizations to unification of both the definition and the approach to MAC setting. The authors present systems of MAC setting in such countries as USA (ACGIH, NIOSH, OSHA), former USSR, Germany, Scandinavian countries, Hungary and Poland. The paper comprises also classification of substances and carcinogenic agents adopted by IARC as well as the classifications in those countries which publish lists of carcinogens.

Carcinogenicity Tests↗
PubMed1993

Current principles of hygienic standards setting. Part I.

A critical analysis of the present situation with respect to hygienic standard setting is presented. The authors introduce requirements for developing scientifically based exposure limits for chemicals as well as differences between documentation of recommended exposure limits for the agents occurring in the working environment and in the communal environmental medicine.

Documentation↗
PubMed1992

[Project for amending regulations regarding jobs prohibited to women].

Considering that the current legal regulations on jobs prohibited to women lack consistency, especially in relation to the criteria for including specific jobs into the prohibited category, and because the regulations fail to protect women satisfactorily from the harmful effects of occupational and environmental loads and exposures, preparation of new legal regulations on those matters has been attempted. Special stress has been put on specifying parameters which, when measured and compared with the suggested allowable values, should provide a basis for deciding whether a woman can be employed at a specified post. Separate criteria have been specified to determine jobs prohibited to women: a) irrespective of age, b) at reproductive age, c) during pregnancy and lactation. The irrespective-of-age restrictions result from lower average physical efficiency of women in relation to men, lower muscular strength and different psychical or biological characteristics. Lower allowable physical loads and lower maximum allowable weights of objects to be carried or moved by women have been specified. In specifying the restrictions for women at the reproductive age it has been assumed that, when determining the maximum allowable concentrations of chemicals at workplaces, effects of those chemicals on the reproducibility and health state of the off spring were taken into consideration. However, for chemicals which, according to the present knowledge, show genotoxic, teratogenic, or reproduction-disturbing effects, employers will be obliged to inform the reproductive-age female employees about the risk involved, as well as to take steps to reduce, as far as possible, below MAC the concentrations of those chemicals in the ambient air at workplaces. The restrictions in the employment of the pregnant and lactating women are intended to ensure conditions enabling correct development of pregnancy and safe growth of the fetus and, subsequently, of the neonate. The restrictions relate to: physical effort--as this has been proved to affect the course and the outcome of pregnancy (increased abortion risk, reduced duration of pregnancy, reduced neonate weight); exposure to carcinogens--as there is evidence that carcinogens display genotoxic properties and are capable of permeating the placenta: exposure to agents which can disturb the course of pregnancy and damage the fetus or unfavourably affect health condition of the offspring even if the MAC and MAI values are not exceeded; exposure to biologic agents, evidently harmful to the fetus and to the condition of health of the progeny.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Strategy in directed preventive studies. I. Evaluation of health effects of exposure to carcinogenic factors. Problem of development- al anomalies and neoplasms in children. Reproduction disorders].

In highly developed countries the prophylactic medical examinations to evaluate health effects of exposure and general health condition of the workers started early in the past. Nowadays, there is an increasing trend of developing new methods for early detection of occupational and work--related diseases. Thus the individuals oversensitive to the agents of the working environment could be prevented from exposure. However, the gap between the capacities that the new methods offer theoretically and their actual application in the prophylactic examinations still remains quite large. Part I of the present study has been devoted to three essential problems of public concern which have been specified in the paper's subtitles.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1990

The relationship between exposure monitoring and health status in the occupational setting. An information system on exposure levels and occupational diseases.

The relationship between the level of occupational exposure to different noxious factors and the health consequences of these in exposed populations is discussed using cadmium, lead, carbon disulphide and vinyl chloride as examples of occupational pollutants. The legal status and organizational system of monitoring the exposure to occupational pollutants and health effects in Poland are presented. The scope and sources of data on the occupational exposure level as well as the register of occupational diseases are evaluated.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1990

The strategy of targetted health surveillance. II. Genetically determined susceptibility to chemical substances and other issues related to health surveillance.

A number of current issues regarding methods of primary and periodical medical examinations were discussed in view of application of research results in practical activities of the occupational health service. The review of tests employed on detection of deficiency or peculiarity of biochemical susceptibility to given chemical factors revealed objective causes limiting and delaying, to a certain extent, of practical application of scientific progress in health surveillance. Tests facilitating detection of susceptibility to emphysemagenic factors, genetic markers of atherosclerosis, neoplasm (especially neoplasm of the urinary bladder and lung cancer) were discussed. According to the opinions presented, further advancement of research, as well as application of new methods should, during a relatively short time, dispel existing doubts and accomplish standardization of methods. The usefulness of psychological tests, now being introduced to health surveillance, was also discussed. It was found that tests may enrich considerably certification of physical fitness for those jobs with high stress levels and requiring a high level of reliability. They are extremely useful in individual assessment of work load, and they allow the detection of early disorders in the central and peripheral nervous system, preceding evident pathology produced by working environment factors. The most common obstacles in the wide application of the discussed methods include: inadequate post-graduate education of psychologists; the rare combination of two specialisations (psychology of labour and clinical psychology); and a shortage of test methods which have been verified in the conditions of a given country. This work also raises questions about the health effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation, complex exposure to toxic substances, health condition and periodical examinations in workers of advanced age.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

The strategy of targetted health surveillance. I. Evaluation of the health effects of exposure to carcinogens. Malformations and neoplasms in children. Reproduction disorders.

In highly developed countries, prophylactic medical examinations to evaluate the general health condition of workers and health effects of exposure to toxins have, in the past, been administered early in their work history. Presently, there is a trend towards developing new methods of early detection of occupational and work-related diseases. Thus, individuals oversensitive to agents in their working environment could be prevented from exposure. However, the gap between the capabilities offered theoretically by new methods and their practical application in prophylactic examinations remains quite large. Part I of the presented study is focused on three essential issues of public concern specified in the given subtitles.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Occupational medicine in the XXI century--the role and tasks of the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Lódź].

The article presents strategy and goals of study program in occupational health for the years 1991-1995. Five strategy lines and corresponding to them goals have been determined. These are: (1) Development and implementation of detailed programmes for preventing the main occupational and work-related diseases causing the substantial social-economic losses to limit health effects induced by occupational exposure; (2) Development, integration and improvement of chemical safety system to limit environmental exposure to chemicals and to reduce health consequences due to living and working environment pollution with chemicals; (3) Development and implementation of methods of psychophysical effort load evaluation, methods of proper vocational selection and principles of preventive action to limit work strenuosness and changes in health status induced by process and organization of work; (4) Increasing the effectiveness and extension of health care and preventive activities for national economy workers; (5) Development and practical implementation of modern programmes of training in occupational health (under- and postgraduate) together with preparing didactic aids and scientific-technical information. The last line of study programme will be preceded by discussion taking into account the currently available financial means and scientific facilities.

Academies and Institutes↗
PubMed1989

[Limitation of hand function in workers with Dupuytren's contracture].

A group of 72 physical workers with Dupuytren's contracture, subject to operation, was examined. Such advantages of early operative treatment as facility of surgery, shorter hospitalisation, shorter rehabilitation after operation, and quick return to previous occupation have been pointed out.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Program of scientific research in the field of occupational medicine 1986-1990].

Changes in the system of research planning and co-ordination in Poland promoted the development of centrally supervised programs with preferences in financial terms. Of 100 centrally supervised programs, four are related to medical sciences, in this one--to occupational health. The research program, accepted after a profound discussion, has been mainly directed towards: progress in reliable evaluations of work environment in national economy; establishment of interrelationships between work conditions and workers' health in many industrial branches; and development and enforcement of effective preventive measures. Priority is given to the following research trends, the results of which may significantly affect the efficiency of health- and preventive care rendered to workers: development and control of new methods for early diagnosis of health lesions prior to clinical pathology and prior to the occurrence of work disablement, whether temporary or durable; development and enforcement of methods allowing to single out workers susceptible to the effects of particular environmental hazards with the aim of avoiding unforeseeable health effects of occupational exposure. determination and verification of conditions promoting the effectiveness of the primary health care for workers covered by the industrial health service. development and verification, under model conditions, of the principles of organizing and functioning of the primary health care, especially preventive care, for workers of small plants which hitherto have not been covered by the industrial health service. development of a more effective--than the hitherto functioning--system of rehabilitation for disabled people, especially occupational rehabilitation being accomplished at special workplaces. A detailed list of goals planned to be achieved up till 1990 has been attached to the complete version of the paper.

Health Services Research↗
PubMed1986

[Problems in preventing occupational neoplasms of chemical etiology].

Authors present the grounds of prophylactic system and discuss some following elements of it: identification of chemical cancerogens, collection of data on location and magnitude of exposure, monitoring of health effects resulting from exposure, and application of preventive means. Necessity of novelization of sanitary regulations on toxicological examinations of chemicals, both the already used and introduced to industrial technology is considered. The need of setting up an informatic system on occupational exposure to cancerogenic substances is underlined by authors as well.

Chemical Industry↗