Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June AUTHORS:  Dorin Bardac, Professor Dr., Medical Faculty ”V.Papilian”;  Mihaela Stoia, Dr., Department of Public Health, Sibiu, Romania;  Violeta Frâncu, Dr., Medical Faculty ”V.Papilian”, Sibiu, Romania;  Elena Ana Păuncu, Dr., Occupational Disease Clinic, Timisoara, Romania;  Carmen Simona Şanta, Dr., Private Practice Medical Cabinet, Sibiu;  Simona Berariu, Dr., Department of Public Health, Sibiu, Romania;  Theodor Hărătău, Dr., Executive Director, Romtens Foundation SC MONDOSTAR SA Management of Work organization / Health and Safety for employees of age over 45

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June The structure of the workforce involved in the production sector of the economy DIFFERS from the structure of the general population 2.The age when people are retiring on a pension in Romania is relatively “young” – not-encouraging work Results of : Fierce HR constraints (national/international workforce market, internal ones etc) – EU migration of the workforce A system of W-55 YRS and M-60 YRS going towards a system to be achieved in 2010 that is for Women-60 years, Men-65 years Economic constraints (national/international market) Quality requirements (international standards, standards required by the clients etc) Misconceptions / misunderstood economic principles (young VERSUS ageing) Lack of available documented research on balance between young / aged workforce RELATED to productivity Defining the problem:

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June This leads to imbalance between several issues that are usually taken into account when making Human Resources strategies at enterprise level: How to balance physical demands required for semi-automatic operations WITH experience required for these operations How to balance experience WITH eagerness to learn new things/procedures (decreasing by age) How to balance the offer of the market (young, inexperienced workforce) WITH the demand for more and more experienced, adaptable and flexible workforce This kind of constraints are placing a very big burden on the HR Depts. which are transforming them from relative immobile structures reacting to the demands of the Production Depts into Policy makers & workforce seekers units. Defining the problem:

Business Meeting, Prague, 18./19. November 2005 Objectives of the project / Action level: 1. To establish a correlation between ageing and work performances (using a set of tools) 2. To improve Health at Work & Productivity by using work organization measures and management of lifestyle measures implemented at company level Action level: enterprise level / textile enterprise (1100 employees)

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June ●A 1100 employees enterprise chosen to be studied ●A batch of 138 employees divided in 2 groups researched group - 69 employees & control group – 69 employees) ●All of them working in the same department, in the same environment and using the same equipment ●Working with semi-automatic sewing machines that require working with pedals and levers and ironing machines ●The enterprise has its own medical office with 2 company doctors and 2 nurses (1 for each shift-the enterprise is working in 2 shifts) Research info:

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Local research - Questionnaire adapted using a Cindy model (standardized & structured); 2.Attention and memory testing with psychological tests (the Touluse-Pierron Test for external focuses attention and the Prague Test for distributive attention); 3.Health Report of the workforce build (by using the results of the periodical medical check-ups & the health data available at the on site medical office); Research info / General:

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Research info / Questionnaire findings GROUPURBANRURALTOTAL COMPARISON GROUP / BELOW 45 YEARS CASE GROUP / OVER 45 YEARS TOTAL71 (51,44%)67 (48,55%)138 (4,35%) EDUCATIONBELOW 45 YEARSOVER 45 YEARS PRIMARY SCHOOL3 (4,35 %)7 (10,14 %) SECONDARY SCHOOL11 (15,94 %)34 (49,28 %) VOCATIONAL SCHOOL42 (60,87 %)18 (26,09 %) HIGHSCHOOL1 (1,45 %)7 (10,14 %) POST HIGHSCHOOL GRADUATION 1 (1,49 %)- UNIVERSITY11 (15,94 %)3 (4,35 %)

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Distribution by job description

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Self evaluation of the health status

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Evaluation of the willingness to take lunch breaks

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Exposure to noxious factors

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Physical strainsBelow 45 YRSOver 45 YRS Very high5 (7,25%)23 (33,33%) High36 (52,17%)10 (14,49%) Average21 (30,43%)33 (47,83%) Small7 (10,15%)1 (1,45%) Very small-2 (2,90%) Breaks during working scheduleBelow 45 YRSOver 45 YRS Enough and adequate24 (34,78%)27 (39,13%) Enough but inadequate4 (5,80%)7 (10,14%) Insufficient but adequate21 (30,43%)15 (21,74%) Insufficient and inadequate20 (28,99%) NOTE: Enough – assesses the number of allowed breaks Adequate / Inadequate – assesses the position in time, during the working time, of the breaks

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Research info / Psychological tests findings Qualitative interpretation Toulouse-Pierron testing

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Research info / Psychological tests findings Quantitative interpretation Toulouse-Pierron testing

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Research info / Psychological tests findings Qualitative interpretation Prague testing

Business Meeting, Prague, 18./19. November 2005 Research info / Health Report

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Pierron psychological testing showed for subjects above 45 years better scores Prague psychological testing also showed better results for subjects above 45 years – an average of 4,51 operations (compared with an average of 4,09 operations/minute for the comparison group) Reasons were considered to be due to: Increased acquired working skills/patterns Better professional qualifications Improved sense of responsibility Conclusions - 1

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Work related pathology showed mainly by those above 45 years: Musculoskeletal problems Cardiovascular problems Mental Health problems Main health risks identified for those above 45 years: Continuous sitting posture (sewing machines) Continuous orthostatic posture (ironing machines) Excessive heat (ironing machines) Excessive noise (sewing machines) Conclusions - 2

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Work organization identified actions: Requiring personnel to get various qualifications (by contract) and to switch positions (every 2-3 months) Changing the number/duration/horary for the allowed breaks – encouraging personnel to take breaks Assigning 1 break as compulsory and inclding it within the paid working time Providing ergonomic support/advise for the compulsory break by using a trainer: - specific routines for those performing static (in sitting position) operations - specific routines for relaxation for those performing dynamic operations Conclusions - 3

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Health education identified actions: Basic Health Education hygiene at work sessions provided by health promoters Basic training on health determinants sessions provided by health promoters Conclusions - 4

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June HSE identified actions (through roundtable meetings of the Committee for Health & Safety at Work) : Mitigating noise by using fono-absorbent panels Mitigating long working hours in orthostatic posture by using shock-absorbent rugs made of specific materials Decreasing heat exposure by placing exhaustion slots above ironing machines Conclusions - 5

Breakout session C / Work Organisation and Design to suit the Needs of Ageing Workers Business Meeting / Linz th June Achieving a higher status of the health of employees over 45 years of age is possible by : health promotion approaches (improving their lifestyle and the level of knowledge pertaining health issues) ; work organization approaches (through a better management of the working conditions); occupational hygiene approach Conclusions - 6