Can occupational guidelines for work-rest schedules be based on endurance time data?
Within the European Community, work is in progress to establish occupational guidelines for physical workload, including work-rest schedules. A model has been proposed which relies upon endurance time as a valid estimate of the short- and long-term physiological responses to continuous and intermittent exercise. On the basis of recent results from several Scandinavian research groups, the present paper questions the use of this model as a contribution to occupational guidelines. It is believed that the proposed model has a limited validity as a predictor of endurance time, as an indicator of short-term physiological responses, and as an estimator of risk for musculoskeletal disorders.
Mathiassen
S E
SE
National Institute of Occupational Health, Division of Applied Work Physiology, Solna, Sweden.
Winkel
J
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012146:Rest; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D016526:Workload