The article deals with specific medical and psychophysiologic conditions and work safety for driver occupations on railway transport. The topics covered are preservation of the occupational fitness in various diseases and functional disorders of psychogenic origin.

The article covers results of cognitive function studies in locomotive crew workers, conducted with evoked potentials method P300 before and after modelling of occupational activity elements on training complex «Locomotive EP1M operator cabin» in shift work. Findings are that the operators assigned as «unreliable» according to occupational reliability parameters made nearly 2 tiimes more traffic mistakes on the training complex, if compared to «reliable» operators.

Based on analysis of preliminary measurements data, the authors studied influence of daily periods and year seasons on diurnal rhythm of heart rate in individuals working on shift schedule (with night shifts). Findings are that during all year, with preserved lifestyle typical for normal diurnal rhythm (with night sleep) and alternating phase changes of heart rate corresponding to sleep and wakefulness (diurnal profile), low diurnal index of heart rate was registered. The highest heart rate appeared to be in spring and autumn, the lowest one - for winter months, with that heart rate was within normal limits.

The article covers results of content analysis of locomotive crew workers' sayings during participation in focus groups to reveal social, psychologic and organizational factors with negative influence on reliability of occupational activity. Sayings of 51 workers were analyzed, and following factors with negative influence on on reliability of occupational activity were identified: increase of actuating arm over 300 km, increase of speed schedule for reducing working time in a trip, unequal traffic schedules, absent time for acceptance of locomotive before trip, unmatching difficulty level of track with traffic requirements on the same section.

The authors present results of pilot multicentric study on ECG registration in locomotive crew workers, for possible use of ECG in preliminary examination of locomotive crew workers, to lower risk of sudden life-threatening cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, severe heart rhythm changes, sudden death) at work. In ECG screening among 421 workers of locomotive crew, first identification of previously undiagnosed pathologic ECG changes (including right bundle-branch block, auricular and ventricular extrasystoles, WPW phenomenon, left ventricle repolarization disorders) was made. Based on the results obtained, the authors made a conclusion on expediency of ECG registration during preliminary medical examinations of locomotive crew workers, formulated requirements to hardware and software ECG complexes, schedule of ECG examination.

The article deals with a problem of organizing extramural examination of occupational fitness, using teleconferences, for workers closely connected with railway traffic and switch work, who previously received conclusions on individual terms and (or) conditions of permit-to-work, in complicated examination cases, for workers refusal about conclusion of regional examination committee. The authors presented statistic data on quantity of examinees in categories (groups) and results of examinations, stated necessary conditions, list and order of essential preparatory measures for successful extramural clinical analysis and consultation, connected with occupational fitness examination for workers of JSC “RZhD”.

The study covered changes in general and free testosteron in dependence on age in locomotive operators. Total of 44 examinees were studied. Findings are rapid decrease of testosterone level in locomotive operators vs. normal values.

Shift work is highly prevalent in modern society due to occupational necessity requirements, with scientific and technical progress. With that, a problem of adaptation of workers' physiological resources to these requirements became extremely topical. The article covers existing work schedules of operators and assistant operators of JSC “RZhD”, and optimization variants for shift work schedules with consideration of occupational psychophysiologic requirements.

The article covers brief review of art-therapy methods, approximate scheme of art-therapy session in locomotive crew group of JSC «RZhD».

Findings are higher occurrence of arterial hypertension and associated states, atherosclerosis risk factors and cardiovascular risk among automobile drivers, if compared to non-driving occupations.

Findings are significant incidence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in automobile drivers, its negative influence on occupationally important functions and features - so this conditions can be considered as a risk factor of traffic accidents. That necessitates specification of adequate complex medical and psychologic counselling of automobile drivers.

A group of workers at machinery construction enterprises, who suffer from osteoarthrosis, underwent quantitative measurement of antibodies to chondroitin sulfate. Findings are that titres of antibodies to chondroitin sulfate are reliably higher in a group of osteoarthrosis patients, than those in the reference group. Increased titre of antibodies to chondroitin sulfate correlates with duration and activity of the disease. The highest titre was seen in multiple joints involvement and in synovitis. Thus, conclusion can be made about an important role of immune reactions in inflammation development with osteoarthrosis.

The authors performed a single-stage retrospective analysis of case histories in Volgograd Center for diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, observed since September 2008 to March 2014. The study was aimed to establish main epidemiologic characteristics of osteoporosis in education institutions workers of Volgograd region. Over the studied period, 10,150 patients were examined, including 420 education workers (4,14% of all examinees). The study covered frequency of osteoporosis development and fractures prevalence in these patients. Bone tissue density lower than age-related values was seen in 142 examinees (33,81%). Osteoporosis patients demonstrated frequency of proximal femur fractures 4,23%, that of vertebrae - 9,86%, that of forearm bones - 16,20%. Prevalence of fractures due to minimal trauma increased with age, up to maximum in age over 70 and equalled 42,86% in males and 45,45% in females.

The authors suggested a method to evaluate quantity of settled polydispersed suspension in human respiratory tract, due to individual protective means of respiratory organs. The method includes calculation of the particles collection and their precipitation in lungs. To disperse suspended titanium dioxide particles by dimensions in occupational environment, the authors calculated number of precipitated particles in free breathing, and in breathing through hermetically and nonhermetically placed respirators. Findings are that over a half of particles measured under 100 nm precipitates in alveolar area and only one sixth of them - in upper respiratory tract. Numbers of the particles measured 100-1000 nm, precipitating in upper respiratory tract and alveolar area, are nearly equal. According to the authors, gaps with relative square near 0,1% between respirator and face result in lower protection coefficient in 3,5 times for highly dispersed particles, and nearly in 48 times for the particles measured over 100 nm. These data necessitate declared protection parameters of individual protective means for respiratory organs to be added by amendment considering its lower efficiency in real conditions.

The authors systematize and analyze various types of singers' occupational activities in connection with peculiarities of voice exertion, specify dependence of singers' appealability for specialized phoniatric aid on performing certain work, vocal exertion parameters. The data obtained favor complex approach to a term “voice exertion” and value to determine principles of its optimization.