CHARACTERIZATIONOFTHECOMPLEXLOAD OF MINERSUTILIZINGTHE DELTAINCREMENT INJ~EARTRATE,BODYTEMPERATUREANDOTHER PHYSIOLOGICALVARIABLESDURINGWORK.

It is generally accepted that the work of miners is a complex task. The physical work must be performed in artificial environment with multiple physical, ergonomical and psychosocial influ-ences. This study aims at analyzing and defining the complex load and strain of physical work-ers in underground bauxite mines. The results suggest that the absolute values of heart rate and body temperature, due to the large individual variations and other (environmental) factors, are not suitable for character-izing the physical workload or the physiological strain during physical work. We suggest the use of the increments above the lowest values occurring during the working shift METHODS A group of 152 miners participated in the study. Rest-ing pulmonary function (spirometly) and the exercise capacity was initially assessed by standard methods. A selected population of miners participated also in an additional labor&q setting to study the effects of a long-term exercise intended to model the work loa