[Bus drivers' biomechanical risk assessment in two different contexts]. / La valutazione del carico biomeccanico degli arti superiori nella conduzione di autobus e tram: primi risultati di due esperienze in contesti differenti.

The application of standardize methods for the biomechanical risk assessment in non-industrial cycled activity is not always possible. A typical case is the public transport sector, where workers complain of suffering for shoulder more than elbow and wrist pains. The Authors present the results of two studies involving two public transport companies and the risk of biomechanical overload of upper limbs for bus and tram drivers. The analysis has been made using three different approaches: focus groups; static analysis by using anthropometric manikins; work sampling technique by monitoring worker's activity and posture at each minute, for two hours and for each binomial vehicle-route, considering P5F e P95M drivers and assessing the perceived efforts thorough the Borg's CR10 Scale. The conclusive results show that the ergonomic analysis managed by multiple non-standardized techniques may reach consistent and repeatable results according to the epidemiological evidences.

[Noise and ototoxic chemicals. State of the art and operative strategies for health surveillance]. / Il rumore e le sostanze ototossiche. Lo stato delle conoscenze, le implicazioni operative.

European (Directive 2003/10/CE) and italian rules (DLgs 81/08), both establish that "as far as technically achievable, any effects on workers' health and safety resulting from interactions between noise and work-related ototoxic substances, and between noise and vibrations". The scientific knowledge on this subject is still lacking, but are generally considered as ototoxic, either alone or in concert with noise, toluene, styrene, ethylbenzene, carbon disulphide, lead, mercury and carbon monoxide. With particular reference to health surveillance we propose yearly audiograms for workers whose exposures are at 50% or more of the specific OEL, for noise LEPd less than 85 dB(A); for concomitant noise LEPd greater than 85 dB(A) (by wich workers are normally submitted to an yearly audiogram) the occupational physician will consider if shorten the time between audiograms.