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Hans Pettersson

The aim of my research is to investigate and improve the working environment. How cold, noise and vibrations from machines affect the health of workers and how to reduce the risk of ill health.

Works at

Affiliation
Research fellow at Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine Section: Section of Sustainable Health
Location
6B, 4 trp, Norrlands universitetssjukhus Umeå universitet, 901 85 Umeå

In my current project, which is funded by FORTE, I study how well FHVmetodik and the Swedish Occupational Health Service neurological questions on neurological injuries predict sensory disturbance in the hands and fingers among workers who are exposed to vibrations. The project also studies how well the new proposed measurement standard for vibrations predicts the risk of nerve damage compared with the current measurement standard.

The purpose is to know if a screening form can find nerve damage early and if the new proposed measurement standard is better than the current one. The goal is to share nerve damage among workers who use vibrating hand-held machines.

I am also a member of the steering group for the Arctic Center at Umeå University (ARCUM) and will in future also work as an Arctic Five Chair, Arctice Five Chair (in Occupational Medicin), https://arcticfive.org/, in expanding the collaboration between the five Nordic Universities within Arctic Five (Arctic University in Norway (YiT) Tromsö, Oulu University, Luleå University of Technology, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi and Umeå University).

Furthermore, I also work in collaboration with KI, with job exposure matrices for vibrations and how it affects the risk of cardiovascular disease and how vibrations can affect pregnant women.

I have also completed a project where I and my colleagues designed a more user-friendly website for the Swedish national vibration database with the support of AFA insurance.

https://www.vibration.db.umu.se/app/ (Available in English)

We hope that more people will carry out risk assessments of vibrations in the workplace with the help of this digital tool. Previous research projects also included studies on how noise and cold among construction workers affect the risk of cardiovascular disease and hearing loss. These research projects are possible to implement thanks to funding from AFA insurance. I am part of the Cold Health in Northern Sweden (CHINS) research group which focus on effects of cold on the general population.

The aim of my research is to improve the working environment and reduce ill health among workers. Above all, I study working environments in the construction, manufacturing and mining industries. My research focuses on how vibration from machines (vehicles and handheld machines such as tiger saws, grinders, and hammers), noise, and work in cold environments affect the risk of injury and ill health among workers.

I began my research at Umeå University, at Occupational and Environmental Medicine, where I studied how noise and vibration from handheld machines (grinders and hammers) together increased the risk of hearing loss. After the dissertation, I did my post-doc in Oulu at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, where I continued my research, focusing on how cold and vibration physiologically affect our hands. After 1½ years in Finland, I moved back to Umeå University and Occupational and Environmental Medicine where I just completed a research project on vibration load among demolition workers.

International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Taylor & Francis 2024, Vol. 83, (1)
Pettersson, Hans; Liljelind, Ingrid; Nilsson, Tohr; et al.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Taylor & Francis 2024, Vol. 83, (1)
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Vihlborg, Per; et al.
Ergonomics, Taylor & Francis Group 2024, Vol. 67, (2) : 136-147
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Vihlborg, Per; et al.
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Wahlström, Jens; et al.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Taylor & Francis 2023, Vol. 82, (1)
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Johnsen, Magnar; Liljelind, Ingrid; et al.
Frontiers in Pain Research, Frontiers Media S.A. 2023, Vol. 4
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Wahlström, Viktoria; et al.
Folkhälsa och klinisk medicin i Umeå rapporterar, 2022:1
Järvholm, Bengt; Modig, Lars; Pettersson, Hans
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, Taylor & Francis 2022, Vol. 28, (3) : 1705-1710
Pettersson, Hans; Graff, Pål; Fornander, Louise; et al.
BMC Rheumatology, BioMed Central 2022, Vol. 6, (1)
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Lundström, Ronnie; et al.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Wolters Kluwer 2022, Vol. 64, (3) : 197-201
Vihlborg, Per; Pettersson, Hans; Makdoumi, Karim; et al.
Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Oxford University Press 2021, Vol. 65, (6) : 659-667
Lewkowski, Kate; Ytterstad, Elinor; Pugliese, Matthew J; et al.
Science of the Total Environment, Elsevier 2021, Vol. 751
Skröder, H.; Pettersson, Hans; Norlén, F.; et al.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Taylor & Francis Group 2021, Vol. 80, (1)
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Abu Mdaighem, Mahmoud; Pettersson, Hans
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Springer 2020, Vol. 93, (5) : 571-575
Pettersson, Hans; Olsson, David; Järvholm, Bengt
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2020, Vol. 77, (10) : 691-698
Skröder, Helena; Pettersson, Hans; Albin, Maria; et al.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Taylor & Francis 2020, Vol. 79, (1)
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Björ, Bodil; Pettersson, Hans; et al.
Rheumatology International, Springer 2019, Vol. 39, (2) : 265-275
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Pettersson, Hans; Liljelind, Ingrid; et al.
Occupational Medicine, Oxford University Press 2018, Vol. 68, (5) : 314-319
Carlsson, Daniel; Wahlström, Jens; Burström, Lage; et al.
Industrial Health, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 2018, Vol. 56, (6) : 545-552
Pettersson, Hans; Rissanen, Sirkka; Wahlström, Jens; et al.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Springer-Verlag New York 2018, Vol. 91, (7) : 785-797
Stjernbrandt, Albin; Carlsson, Daniel; Pettersson, Hans; et al.
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, Vol. 30, (4) : 553-564
Burström, Lage; Aminoff, Anna; Björ, Bodil; et al.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Springer 2017, Vol. 90, (7) : 645-652
Burström, Lage; Björ, Bodil; Nilsson, Tohr; et al.
Pain Research and Treatment, Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2017, Vol. 2017
Jonsson, David; Burström, Lage; Nilsson, Tohr; et al.
Miljöälsorapport norr 2017: hälsa och miljö i norra Sverige, Umeå: Norrlands universitetssjukhus 2017 : 26-29
Pettersson, Hans; Sjödin, Fredrik
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Vol. 75
Burström, Lage; Hyvärinen, Ville; Johnsen, Magnar; et al.
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health 2016, Vol. 42, (1) : 61-70
Carlsson, Daniel; Pettersson, Hans; Burström, Lage; et al.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol. 57, (12) : 1311-1318
Pettersson, Hans; Burström, Lage; Hagberg, Mats; et al.
Noise & Health, Vol. 16, (69) : 89-94
Pettersson, Hans; Burström, Lage; Nilsson, Tohr
Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Oxford University Press 2013, Vol. 57, (8) : 1065-1077
Liljelind, Ingrid; Pettersson, Hans; Nilsson, Leif; et al.
Umeå University medical dissertations, 1546
Pettersson, Hans
Noise & Health, Medknow Publications 2012, Vol. 14, (59) : 159-165
Pettersson, Hans; Burström, Lage; Hagberg, Mats; et al.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, New York: Springer 2011, Vol. 84, (8) : 951-957
Pettersson, Hans; Burström, Lage; Nilsson, Tohr
Journal of Low Frequency Noise Vibration and Active Control, Sage Publications 2010, Vol. 29, (1) : 33-39
Burström, Lage; Hagberg, Mats; Liljelind, Ingrid; et al.

Research groups

Group member

I have lectures mainly within occupational exposures of noise, vibration and cold, but also lectures on community noise. Responsible for courses on Physical and Chemical aspects of the working environment within the occupational health nurse studies within the Master program Work Life and Health. Previously responsible for the introductory course and formerly responsible for the focus on occupational technology in Work Life and Health. Lectures on community noise within the course Health effects within the Bachelor's program in Environmental and Health Protection. Supervising dental technician in vibration and noise each year. Previously lectured and supervised occupational engineers and medical students at Umeå University.