Professional Stresses

Before discussing this problem it is necessary to be familiar with the definitions of terms:

1. occupational accident – covers an occurrence arising out of, or in the course of, work which results in fatal or non-fatal injury;

2. occupational disease – covers any disease contracted as a result of an exposure to risk factors arising from work activity;

3. dangerous occurrence – covers a readily identifiable event as defined under national laws and regulations, with potential to cause an injury or disease to persons at work.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Agency) has no exact standards that are applied to the hazards associated with critical incident stress. What is critical incident stress? Workers responding to emergency events or disasters will experience events that will strain their ability to function. These events, which include having to witness or experience tragedy, death, serious injuries and threatening situations are called “Critical Incidents”. The physical and psychological well-being of those experiencing this stress, as well as their future ability to function through a prolonged response, will depend upon how they manage this stress. Post traumatic stress disorder differs from critical incident stress and appears to be emotional, mental or physical response. Most instances of stress last between two days and four weeks.

The signs and symptoms of the stress can be physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral. The physical stress results in fatigue, chest pain, headache, loss appetite, the cognitive symptoms involve uncertainty, confusion, night-mares, poor concentration and memory and poor decision – making ability; emotional signs are grief, fear, guilt, depression, anxiety; behavioral state is exposed in inability to rest, withdrawal, antisocial behavior, increased alcohol consumption, change in communications. In these cases Stress Management should work immediately. Stress Management is the system of education, prevention and mitigation of the effects from expose to highly stressful critical incidents. During the emergency phase of the response, monitoring of employees by simple conversation and observation may help to identify early signs for some responders.

Exercise 2. Translate the following word combinations:

professional stress, occupational accident, national laws, potential cause, critical incident stress, physical state, psychological well-being, emotional response, metal activity, behavioral symptoms.

Exercise 3. Translate word combinations with Participle I:

arising occurrence, arising factors, responding workers, threatening situations, workers experiencing stress, responding management, communicating sides.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences:

1. Before discussing professional stresses it is necessary to be familiar with…

2. Occupational accidents may result in…

3. Occupational disease is the result of…

4. OSHA has no exact standards associated with…

5. Emergency events and disasters may strain workers…

6. The events including tragedy, death, injures are called…

7. The signs and symptoms of the stress can be… .

8. The physical stress results in…

9. The cognitive symptoms involve… .

10. The emotional signs are… .

11. Behavioral state is exposed in… .

12. Stress management is the system of… .

Exercise 5. Find English equivalents to a Russian word:

1. напряжение, а) strain c) stress

стресс b) exertion d) effort

2. проблема а) issue c) challenge

b) problem d) question

3. быть знакомым а) to know c) to imagine

с кем-л., чем-л. b) to be acquainted with d) to be familiar with

4. занятость, а) work c) employment

работа b) job d) occupation

5. появляться, а) to arise c) to emerge

возникать b) to appear d) to occur

6. закон а) rule c) law

b) act d) regulation

7. катастрофа а) damage c) disaster

b) emergency d) catastrophe

8. событие а) developments c) incident

b) event d) occurrence

9. признак а) factor c) symptom

b) sign d) property

10. устранение, а) removal c) liquidation

ликвидация b) mitigation d) elimination

Exercise 6. Translate into English:

1. Неблагоприятные (adverse) условия труда могут вызывать стрессовые ситуации.

2. Признаками стресса могут быть физические, эмоциональные, умственные и поведенческие факторы.

3. Результатом физического стресса являются усталость и головная боль.

4. Умственные симптомы включают в себя неуверенность и смятение.

5. Эмоциональными признаками стресса являются страх, депрессия, беспокойства.

6. Поведенческое состояние проявляется в антисоциальном поведении и изменении в общении.

7. Несчастные случаи, повреждения и опасные ситуации называются критическими происшествиями.

8. Несчастные случаи могут стать результатом профессиональных стрессов.

9. Профессиональные заболевания возникают в результате подвергания рискам.

10. Опасными происшествиями являются те, которые вызывают повреждения или болезни человека на работе.