Job-related stress and work ability of Dispatchers in a metropolitan fire department

Background: Our aim was to assess psychomental stress and strain among dispatchers in fire departments, particularly
during emergency instructions by phone and to evaluate their work ability.
Methods: 27 dispatchers and 20 controls were examined. In a protocol, participants recorded 1. phone instructions
causing mental stress (event) 2. working time without phone instructions (non-event) 3. breaks. Continuous heart rate
(variability), urine catecholamine, salivary cortisol and lymphocytes were measured. To assess the job-related burden,
the Work Ability Index (WAI) was applied.
Results: Dispatchers demonstrated significantly higher heart rates and reduced standard deviation of all NN
(heartbeat-to-heartbeat) intervals (SDNN) than the controls in all phases. WAI of dispatchers was significantly lower than
that of the controls. Within the dispatchers, there was a significantly higher rate of inability to work during the past year.
Conclusions: The increased heart rate and reduced SDNN of examined dispatchers indicate chronic stress effects
as a possible preliminary stage of a health disorder. In respect of the reduced work ability among dispatchers
preventive measures are required to reduce the stress situation during their job-performance