Occupational factors and health status in railway wagon inspectors and repairmen

Introduction. One of the leading and most in-demand occupations in the railway industry is that of car inspectors and repairers, whose work involves heavy physical exertion, increased noise levels, and emotional stress.

The purpose of the study. To study of working conditions and their impact on the health in railway car inspectors and repairers.

Materials and methods. Time studies were conducted, and measurements of harmful production factors were made at workplaces and their harmful effects were assessed. The prevalence was studied.

Results. The conducted scientific research has shown the inspectors-repairers of wagons to have a general assessment of working conditions in terms of the severity of the work process, which corresponds to class 3.3, and in terms of the intensity of work, which corresponds to class 3.2. The noise levels at the workplaces are 75–88 dBA, while the permissible values are not higher than 80 dBA. The levels of general morbidity, morbidity with temporary disability (VUT), and primary disability significantly exceed the average values for the industry.

Limitations. Scientific research was conducted at the Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Lyublino, Perovo, and Bekasovo stations of the Moscow Railway and at the Chelyabinsk, Orenburg, and Orsk stations of the South Ural Railway.

Conclusion. Based on the conducted research, the overall assessment of working conditions was established to corresponds to class 3.3. There was identified an adverse impact of harmful occupation factors on health, with an increased prevalence compared to the industry average and cases of occupational diseases.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents. All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Ovechkina Zh.V. – research concept, collection and processing of material, editing;
Kotlyar L.M. – collection and processing of material, statistical data processing, writing of the text.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: June 3, 2025 / Revised: August 4, 2025 / Accepted: October 15, 2025 / Published: November 14, 2025

1. Ksenofontova T.Yu., Mardas A.N., Gulyaeva O.A. Increasing freight and passenger turnover of railway transport, including through subsidizing projects for the integrated development of territories. Byulleten’ rezul’tatov nauchnykh issledovanii. 2020; (1): 85–94. https://doi.org/10.20295/2223-9987-2020-1-85-94 https://elibrary.ru/qzyqvw (in Russian)

2. Shchipacheva E.S., Baranov D.N. Prospects for the development of railway transport. Matritsa nauchnogo poznaniya. 2021; (10–1): 39. (in Russian)

3. Shingareva A.A. The importance of railway transport for Russia. Mezhdunarodnyi zhurnal prikladnykh i fundamental’nykh issledovanii. 2016; (6–4): 770–5. https://elibrary.ru/wapdsl (in Russian)

4. Zelyaeva N.V. Assessment of the morbidity of industrial workers and ways to reduce it (using the example of enterprises in the machine-building industry of Nizhny Novgorod). Fundamental’nye issledovaniya. 2014; (7–4): 698–705. https://elibrary.ru/smjycj (in Russian)

5. Zhuravlyova T.A., Ulianova A.S. Approaches to lower occurrence of chronic bronchitis in railway workers subjected to occupational risk of respiratory diseases. Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya. 2007; 47(1): 30–4. https://elibrary.ru/kglfcf (in Russian)

6. Vilk M.F., Pankova V.B., Kaptsov V.A. Traffic noise as a risk factor for occupational deafness (exemplified by air and railway transport). Meditsina truda i promyshlennaya ekologiya. 2017; 57(9): 36–7. https://elibrary.ru/zfqipf (in Russian)

7. Vilk M.F., Kaskov Yu.N., Kaptsov V.A., Pankova V.B. Dynamics of industrial risk and indicators of occupational morbidity of railway transport workers. Meditsina truda i ekologiya cheloveka. 2020; (1): 49–59. https://doi.org/10.24411/2411-3794-2020-10105 https://elibrary.ru/ccyqdh (in Russian)

8. Lie A., Skogstad M., Johannessen H.A., Tynes T., Mehlum I.S., Nordby K.C., et al. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health. 2016; 89(3): 351–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1083-5

9. Dobie R.A. The burdens of age-related and occupational noise-induced hearing loss in the United States. Ear Hear. 2008; 29(4): 565–77. https://doi.org/10.1097/aud.0b013e31817349ec

10. Loginova V.A., Kaskov Yu.N., Zhidkova E.A., Gurevich K.G., Smertina Yu.L., Pletnikova O.A. Regulation of work-related and occupational impacts on workers employed at railroads: experience gained in Russia and other countries. Health Risk Analysis. 2021; (1): 173–84. https://doi.org/10.21668/health.risk/2021.1.18.eng https://elibrary.ru/scbkfa

11. Spirin V.F., Eliseeva Yu.V., Pichugina N.N. Railway work: risks to adult workers and adolescents. Meditsina truda i ekologiya cheloveka. 2022; (1): 133–43. https://doi.org/10.24411/2411-3794-2022-10109 https://elibrary.ru/lzibjt (in Russian)