Physical educators' health problems Trois-Rivières, May 2, 2003 - The occupational health and safety of physical educators at the primary, secondary and collegiate levels is the subject of an exploratory investigation. On the occasion of the 8^th conference of the Fédération des éducateurs et éducatrices physiques enseignants du Québec (FÉÉPEQ) which is being held in Trois-Rivières, the IRSST has announced that it is funding a survey of 500 physical educators in order to document the extent of the injuries and trauma that they suffer in doing their work. This research project is directed by François Trudeau and Louis Laurencelle, professors at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

2002 activities report - An integral part of established networks
Montréal, April 25, 2003 - True to its primary mission, the IRSST has always believed in the importance of joining networks and establishing partnerships to optimize research and the transfer of knowledge. Consequently, since its creation, it has joined forces with many partners, both in Québec and abroad, to find solutions to increasingly complex occupational health and safety problems and to make them available to different workplaces. The 2003 activities report paints a picture of different networks with which the IRSST has chosen to be associated, as well as presents a summary of the highlights of 2002 in a calendar. The report contains a list of the year's scientific publications as well as a list of scholarship recipients.

Online - Prévention au travail Montréal, April 25, 2003 - The spring 2003 issue of Prévention au travail is now available on the IRSST's Website. In the "Research at IRSST" section of this new issue, you can read about the research that is starting, as well as learn more about the following subjects : prevention of low back pain and musculoskeletal accidents in firefighters; a new bioaerosol guide containing evaluation, control and prevention methods; and new training tools for poultry slaughterhouse workers.

For young people's health and safety - Invitation to a poster session Montréal, April 4, 2003 - The IRSST is inviting researchers, scientists and professionals to participate in a poster session at the 2^nd Public Forum of the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada that will be held in Montréal from October 26 - 28.

Respiratory protection - Even more information that is more easily accessible Montréal, April 3, 2003 - The French guide on the respiratory protective equipment used in Québec (regulatory guide) and its Web site have both been updated. The practical respiratory protection guide published at the end of 2002 has also been integrated into the site, thus ensuring abundant precise and current information for occupational health and safety professionals.

Developing a strategic prevention process for occupational mental health problems

Evaluation of the whole-body vibration exposure of Montréal subway operators and study of the dynamic behaviour of cars and their suspension system

Transfer of competencies in training on machine safety management and on means of protection

Occupational asthma monitoring of workers in hazardous sectors

Studying the environmental and physiological factors contributing to biological variability: impact of workload on biological exposure indicators

Impact of sampling techniques and methodology on sampling results

Scope and limitations of biological exposure monitoring for evaluating electroplating industry worker exposure - Knowledge updating

The determinants of chronic disability: longitudinal prospective study of disabled low back pain workers

DELISLE, Alain
Kinematic study of various methods for manipulating the computer mouse ( in French only)  

GIGUÈRE, Denis and Denis MARCHAND
Low back pain and musculoskeletal accidents in firefighters - Identification and analysis of hazardous situations during vehicle access and tool handling ( in French only)  

MARTEL, Richard, Guy SANFACON, Marion SCHNEBELEN, Luc TREPANIER, Benoît LEVESQUE, Marc-André LAVIGNE, Louis-Charles BOUTIN, Denis GAUVIN, Louise GALARNEAU and Pierre AUGER
Evaluation of the carbon monoxide produced in work involving explosives ( in French only)  

SAMUEL, Onil, Louis SAINT-LAURENT, Pierre DUMAS, Éric LANGLOIS and Guy GINGRAS
Pesticides in the greenhouse environment - Characterization of worker exposure and evaluation of reentry times ( in French only)  

CLOUTIER, Esther, Solange LEFEBVRE, Élise LEDOUX, Céline CHATIGNY and Yves SAINT-JACQUES
Occupational health and safety issues in the transmission of professional knowledge: the cases of machine tool operators and cooks ( in French only)  

LAVOIE, Jacques and Serge GUERTIN
Study of biological agents and ergonomic constraints in the use of trucks with articulated arms for collecting household waste ( in French only)  

BESLIN, Olivier
Identification, modeling and reduction of noise from stationary and mobile booster systems ( in French only)  

LAMONDE, Fernande, Philippe BEAUFORT and Jean-Guy RICHARD
Intervention practice in health, safety and ergonomics in design projects - Study of one case of plant design ( in French only)  

AUSTIN, Claire C., Brigitte ROBERGE, Jérôme ARBARÉTAZ and Nicole GOYER
Interferences on electrochemical detectors ( in French only)  

TOULOUSE, Georges
The integration of occupational health and safety prevention into the management of ISO 9000 standards by macroergonomics: a review of the documentation followed by a pilot project ( in French only)  

GOU, Michel, Carl-Éric AUBIN, Maria OLTEANU, René BENOIT and Marina KOUTCHOUK
Modeling of a forklift and its operator to improve safety during rollovers ( in French only)  

BOILEAU, Paul-Émile, SUBHASH RAKHEJA and Jérôme BOUTIN
Identification and study of products to reduce the hand-arm vibration exposure of of vibrating portable tool operators ( in French only)  

News about research is produced by the Communications Division of the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) (514) 288-1551. For your free subscription, to change your e-mail address, or to unsubscribe, click on www.irsst.qc.ca/