Assessment of the working conditions of medical personnel in military medical organizations during the pandemic of new coronavirus infection

Abstract

Relevance. During the pandemic of new coronavirus infection, healthcare professionals have increased occupational risks of exposure to the pathogen SARS-CoV-2, as well as physical and psychological stress, especially when treating Covid patients in “red zones”. Such a change in working conditions wasn’t reflected in the results of a special assessment, which requires the development of an individual scientifically based approach to its organization in conditions equated to emergency situations. Intention. Evaluate the results of a special assessment of working conditions and their compliance with actual working conditions, taking into account the health risks for healthcare professionals taking care of Covid patients.Methodology. We retrospectively conducted a comparative analysis of 295 cards for a special assessment of the working conditions of medical personnel of military medical organizations of therapeutic and infectious profile over 2015–2019, and 266 cards from the same organizations for 2020.Results and Discussion. Study of cards for special assessment of working conditions of medical personnel of military medical organizations for 2015–2020 showed the leading role of biological factors for all categories of medical personnel. Working in the “Red zone” should be assessed as 3.3 (Degree III harmful) based on biological hazard or 4 (dangerous) due to risks of acute occupational diseases and death. This should be reflected in the results of special assessment of working conditions and compensated via reduction of working hours. However, in the context of the pandemic, actual working hours of healthcare professionals exceeded the established 39 hours per week (Article 350 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation), and the medical personnel were allowed to work with the pathogen of Group II pathogenicity without preliminary medical examinations.Conclusion. Analysis of the results of special assessment of the working conditions of medical personnel showed that they do not reflect the actual harmful (dangerous) working conditions of employees involved in providing care to patients with new coronavirus infection in these medical and preventive institutions.