Discovering the Individualized Factors Associated with Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity Phenotypes-A Machine Learning Approach.

The literature shows how sarcopenia often occurs along with different phenotypes based either on the concomitant presence of adipose tissue excess (i.e., sarcopenic obesity, SO), or osteopenia/osteoporosis (osteosarcopenia, OS), or the combination of the two conditions, so-called osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO). This research aimed to assess the prevalence of sarcopenia phenotypes (SO, OS, OSO), their associated risk factors and their health impact in a population of out- and inpatients living in the North of Italy. Male and female subjects aged ≥18 years were enrolled for the study. A blood sample was collected to measure targeted blood makers. A comprehensive anthropometric clinical assessment (height, weight, Body Mass Index, BMI and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA) was performed to measure ponderal, bone, fat, and muscle status. A total of 1510 individuals participated to the study (females, n = 1100; 72.85%). Sarcopenia was the most prevalent phenotype (17%), followed by osteosarcopenia (14.7%) and sarcopenic obesity. Only 1.9% of the sample was affected by OSO. According to logistic regression analysis, sarcopenia was associated with age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) (positively) and BMI, Iron (Fe), Total Cholesterol, albumin (%), albumin (g), and gamma proteins (negatively). Sarcopenic obesity was associated with age, ferritin, ESR, CRP (positively) and BMI, Fe, and albumin (%) (negatively). Osteosarcopenia was associated with age, ESR (positively) and BMI, Total Cholesterol, albumin (%), albumin (g), and Ca (negatively). Osteosarcopenic obesity was associated with glycemia and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gGT) (positively). According to random forest analysis, a higher BMI was the most important protective factor for sarcopenia, for sarcopenic obesity (along with Iron) and for osteosarcopenia (along with albumin). Moreover, osteosarcopenic obesity was positively associated with GgT and glycaemia. The possibility of gaining such information, especially in the younger population, could help to prevent the onset of such diseases and best fit the patient's needs, according to a precision-medicine approach.

New bioelectrical impedance vector references and phase angle centile curves in 4,367 adults: The need for an urgent update after 30 years.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) represents a qualitative analysis of body composition. The vector, defined by resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) standardized by stature, can be evaluated compared to the 50%,75%, and 95% tolerance ellipses representative of the reference populations. The tolerance ellipses for healthy adults have been provided in 1995 and were developed by mixing underage, adult, and elderly subjects, possibly misrepresenting the actual adult population. The current multicentric, cross-sectional study aimed to provide new tolerance ellipses specific for the general adult population and as a secondary aim to present centile curves for the bioelectrical phase angle. METHODS: R, Xc, and phase angle were measured in 2137 and 2230 males and females using phase-sensitive foot-to-hand analyzers at 50 kHz. A minimum of 35 subjects were included for each sex and age category from 18 to 65 years. RESULTS: The new mean vectors showed a leftward shift on the R-Xc graph with respect to the former reference values (males: F = 75.3; p < 0.001; females: F = 36.6, p < 0.001). The results provided new 3rd, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th, and 97th percentile curves for phase angle, identifying time point phases of decrement (males: -0.03° per year at 33.0-51.0 years and -0.05° per year after 51 years; females: -0.03° per year from 37.2 to 57.9 years). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the original references, the new data are characterized by a different distribution within the R-Xc graph with a higher phase angle. Thirty years after the BIVA invention, the current study presents new tolerance ellipses and phase angle reference values for the adult population.

Effectiveness of Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) interventions in university employees: a scoping review.

Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) interventions proved to be effective in several workplace contexts. Currently, the effectiveness of such interventions in the academic workplace is lacking, albeit evidence suggests similar patterns to those occurring in other workplace sectors. The aim of this study was to review WHP interventions in the university workplace that led to improve health- and work-related outcomes. Articles were selected using Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, Cinhal and FSTA, using search strings focused on health- and/or work-related outcomes and involving University WHP interventions published between January 2010 and July 2021. The majority of the 12 studies selected reported positive results in their individuality, especially regarding health-related outcomes [biological such as weight loss, physical activity, mental health and lifestyle habits] and work-related outcomes concerning improvements either for the employee or for the working system. Studies on economic advantage and Return on Investment were limited and reported contrasting results. In conclusion, we have highlighted how the studies on effectiveness of WHP interventions in the university context are few and heterogeneous and need to be encouraged further research in order to build specific guidelines that are effective.

Interventions concerning prevention promotion in the workplace, involving activities targeting lifestyle habits, nutrition and/or physical activity as well as general wellbeing, are growing and becoming more common due to their benefits on health and work outcomes. The aim of this review was to investigate the effectiveness of such interventions in the university workplace context to help create directed guidelines for their correct implementation in this setting. Although it was difficult to draw peculiar conclusions due to the heterogeneity of the programs described in the studies, the overall positivity of the results and the perspective university environment, outlook that the implementation of multicomponent and multilevel interventions would improve employees' wellness and favor universities' welfare.

"Stay at Home" during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in an Italian Academic Community.

This study investigates changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in an Italian university community during Phase 1 of SARS-CoV-2 lockdown ("stay at home" government decree, from March 8th to May 4th, 2020) compared to their habits prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examine differences according to gender, university position, BMI categories, and sport participation. A total of 2596 people (median age 24, IQR 11 years; 70.8% women) filled out a survey after eight weeks of statutory confinement at home. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire measured PA and sedentary behavior in a typical week before and during lockdown. Physically inactive people passed from 10.9% to 35.0% before−during the lockdown. The total amount of PA decreased (median 2307 vs. 1367 MET-min/week; p < 0.001), while sedentary behavior increased (median 349 vs. 440 min/day; p < 0.001) between before and during the lockdown. The following categories showed a higher reduction in the total amount of PA: men when compared to women; people with normal weight when compared to pre-obese/obese people; and people who played sports when compared to those who did not play sports. There is a need to propose PA/exercise programs to counteract physical inactivity and sedentarism during a social emergency, with special attention to people who showed higher PA reduction.

Improving Tractor Safety: A Comparison between the Usability of a Conventional and Enhanced Rear-Mounted Foldable ROPS (FROPS).

Tractor rollover is the main cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries in agriculture. The foldable rollover protective structure (FROPS) can help to prevent these injuries. However, in many cases, the FROPS is left in a folded-down position. Human factor and rear-mounted FROPS technical characteristics influence operators' behavior in roll-bar handling. To improve the FROPS's comfortable use, the prototype of an enhanced handling system was developed, and its usability was tested and compared with a conventional FROPS. Usability was assessed with 93 novice tractor users through an ad hoc questionnaire (investigating perceived effort, time demand, the posture adopted and satisfaction) and observations (investigating effectiveness and efficiency) during lowering and raising tasks. For both tasks, the participants perceived significantly less effort, less physical discomfort, a higher level of satisfaction and less time demand while operating the enhanced FROPS. Observations showed that the critical issues that emerged for the conventional FROPS were eliminated by adopting the developed and implemented handling system. The developed handling system showed itself to be usable and effective in making the FROPS easier and safer to be operated.

Promoting farming sustainability: The effects of age, training, history of accidents and social-psychological variables on the adoption of on-farm safety behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational safety and health (OSH) have a remarkable impact on the sustainability of firms and organizations. However, the sustainability perspective has often focused primarily on environmental and economic concerns, leaving key social and workplace aspects, such as OSH, underemphasized. The link between all these aspects is particularly relevant in agriculture. METHOD: In the present study we analyzed the paths by which the worker's age, participation in safety training, and previous history of accidents and near misses can influence the adoption of safety behaviors in agriculture through the mediation of attitudes towards safety and perceived behavioral control. Three hundred and ten Italian agricultural operators were administered an ad-hoc questionnaire. RESULTS: Having attended safety training courses, having been exposed to previous accidents and near misses, and age showed a positive association with the adoption of on-farm safety behaviors, through the mediation of perceived behavioral control. In more detail, participation in training courses and age showed a positive association with perceived behavioral control, while the previous history of accidents and near misses showed a negative association with behavioral control. In turn, perceived behavioral control was positively associated with the adoption of safety behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The present study focused on the chain of events leading to the adoption of on-farm safety behaviors, which can prevent an accidents, pointing out the more critical variables and the level at which they intervene, identifying possible areas of targeted interventions. Practical applications: Implications for the development of targeted interventions may deal with: (a) training activities increasing farm operators' sense of control over their safety, (b) older farmers involvement in mentoring initiatives, and (c) systematic recording and use of previous history of accidents and near misses as inputs for training activities to discuss their implications for on-farm safety.

Multi-proxy analysis suggests Late Pleistocene affinities of human skeletal remains attributed to Balzi Rossi.

In two publications from 1967 and 1971, M. Masali described human skeletal remains presumed to have been found in the Balzi Rossi caves (Ventimiglia, Italy), based on a signed note dated to 1908. Since then, the remains - dubbed "Conio's Finds" and preserved at the University of Torino - had not been further studied. We performed a multidisciplinary investigation aimed at clarifying the geographical and chronological attribution of these specimens. Collagen extraction for AMS dating was unsuccessful, but we obtained two direct dates on the best- preserved crania via 231Pa/235U direct gamma-ray spectrometry (10,500±2,000 years BP and 12,500±2,500 years BP). We analyzed the metrics and morphology of the crania and femora by comparing them with samples belonging to the Upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods, and evidenced that the "Conio's Finds" are morphologically more compatible with a Late Pleistocene rather than Holocene attribution. We analyzed the literature regarding the history of excavations at Balzi Rossi, and we propose that - if any credence should be given to the note accompanying the material - the remains may have been found in front of Grotta dei Fanciulli or Grotta del Caviglione, in the redeposited soil dug up during the installation of lime kilns carried out between the late 18th and the early 19th centuries. These hypotheses may be tested in the future by comparing the speleothem deposited on one of the crania and the remaining deposit at the site.

Yawning Is More Contagious in Pregnant Than Nulliparous Women : Naturalistic and Experimental Evidence.

Contrary to spontaneous yawning, which is widespread in vertebrates and probably evolutionary ancient, contagious yawning-yawning triggered by others' yawns-is considered an evolutionarily recent phenomenon, found in species characterized by complex sociality. Whether the social asymmetry observed in the occurrence of contagious yawning is related to social and emotional attachment and may therefore reflect emotional contagion is a subject of debate. In this study we assessed whether yawn contagion was enhanced in pregnant women, a cohort of subjects who develop prenatal emotional attachment in preparation for parental care, via hormonal and neurobiological changes. We predicted that if yawn contagion underlies social and emotional attachment, pregnant women would be more likely to contagiously yawn than nonpregnant, nulliparous women of reproductive age. We gathered data in two different settings. In the experimental setting, 49 women were exposed to video stimuli of newborns either yawning or moving their mouth (control) and we video-recorded the women during repeated trials to measure their yawning response. In the naturalistic setting, 131 women were observed in a social environment and their yawning response was recorded. We tested the factors influencing the yawning response, including the reproductive status (pregnant vs. not pregnant). In both settings, yawn contagion occurred significantly more in pregnant than nonpregnant women. By showing that pregnant women were most likely to respond to others' yawns, our results support the hypothesis that the social variation observed in yawn contagion may be influenced by emotional attachment and that yawning in highly social species might have been coopted for emotional contagion during evolution.

Body Composition Symmetry in Long-Term Active Middle-Aged and Older Individuals.

This study aimed to analyze body composition and strength symmetry in a sample of 165 middle-aged and elderly Italian volunteers, which included 97 active (67 men and 30 women; 61.17 ± 7.56 years) individuals regularly engaged in Tai Chi Chuan, tennis, or running, and a control group of 59 age-matched sedentary (27 men and 32 women) individuals. Anthropometric and bioelectrical measurements and hand grip strength of both sides were collected. Segmental body composition was analyzed through specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. The body composition of the right and left limbs was similar among active individuals (arms: T2 = 6.3, n.s.; legs: T2 = 5.0, n.s.), with a similar pattern in the three different disciplines. By contrast, the control group showed bilateral asymmetry (arms: T2 = 6.8, p < 0.001; legs: T2 = 8.8, p < 0.001), mainly because of the higher values of specific reactance (t = 2.4; p = 0.018) and phase angle (t = 2.0; p = 0.054) in the dominant arm, and the higher specific vector length (t = -3.0; p = 0.027) in the left leg. All of the groups showed a higher hand grip strength in the dominant arm (active: t = 7.0, p < 0.001; control: t = 2.9; p < 0.01). In conclusion, the active individuals showed stronger body composition symmetry than the controls, thus indicating a previously undetected positive effect of sport in middle-aged and older adults.

Investigating the effect of a passive trunk exoskeleton on local discomfort, perceived effort and spatial distribution of back muscles activity.

This study aimed at determining the effect of a passive exoskeleton on local perceived discomfort, perceived effort and low back muscles' activity. Thirteen volunteers performed two simulated working tasks with and without the exoskeleton. In the static task, the exoskeleton decreased the lumbar perceived discomfort, the perceived effort and the level of low back muscles' activity (∼10%) while increasing discomfort in the chest and feet. The percent decrease in EMG amplitude was correlated with the percent increase in perceived effort with exoskeleton. For the dynamic task, the exoskeleton increased the discomfort in the chest and decreased the level of back muscle activity (∼5%). Current findings suggest exoskeleton is effective in reducing the back load while increasing the perceived discomfort at non-targeted body regions in both working tasks. The concurrent increase of discomfort in non-targeted areas probably led to a higher perceived effort despite the reduction of low back muscle activity. Practitioner summary: This study provided insights into exoskeleton effects on local discomfort, perceived effort and muscle activity. Overall, the potential benefits of passive exoskeleton should be considered alongside its adverse effects on the non-targeted body regions that can lead to an increase of perceived effort despite the reduction of back muscle activity.

Relation among Perceived Weight Change, Sedentary Activities and Sleep Quality during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Study in an Academic Community in Northern Italy.

In Italy, COVID-19 lockdown was imposed from 8 March until 3 May 2020 with negative consequences on the lifestyles and health of people. Within this context, the paper aims: (i) to analyse the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on perceived weight changes; (ii) to evaluate factors associated with the perception of weight changes (Body Mass Index (BMI), sleep quality, time spent in sedentary activities), in an Italian academic community of students and workers. A total of 3666 participants took part in this cross-sectional study (2838 students and 828 workers, of whom 73.0% were female). T-test, Chi-square test and the two-way ANOVA were used. Results showed that 43.3% of participants perceived a weight gain. Workers experienced a more substantial increase in body weight (0.7 kg) compared to students (0.3 kg; p = 0.013). A significant difference between preobese/obese workers (0.9 kg) and students (-0.3 kg; p < 0.001) was found. Overall, 57.0% of the sample was characterized by high levels of sedentary activities. Sedentary people noticed a higher weight gain (0.4 kg) compared to less sedentary people (0.3 kg; p = 0.048). More than 45% of participants reported a worsening of sleep quality and showed a perceived increase in body weight (0.5 kg) in comparison to those who improved their sleep quality (no weight change; p = 0.001). Designing tailored interventions to promote health-related behaviours during lockdown periods is essential.

Innovating Occupational Safety Training: A Scoping Review on Digital Games and Possible Applications in Agriculture.

Digital games have been successfully applied in different working sectors as an occupational safety training method, but with a very limited application in agriculture. In agriculture and other productive sectors, unintentional injuries tend to occur with similar dynamics. A literature review was carried out to understand how occupational risks are addressed during game-based safety training in different productive sectors and how this can be transferred to agriculture. Literature about "serious game" and "gamification" as safety training methods was searched in WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS, PUBMED and PsycINFO databases. In the forty-two publications retained, the computer was identified as the most adopted game support, whereas "points", "levels", "challenges" and "discovery" were the preferred game mechanics. Moreover, an association can be detected between the game mechanics and the elements developed in the game. Finally, during the game assessment, much positive feedback was collected and the games proved to be able to increase the operators' skills and safety knowledge. In light of the results, insights are provided to develop an effective, satisfying and engaging safety game training for workers employed in agriculture. Games can be best used to learn and they are certain to improve over the next few years.

Tailoring Safety Training Material to Migrant Farmworkers: An Ergonomic User-Centred Approach.

Lectures are the most commonly used training method but may not be effective in communicating safety information among migrant workers because of language and cultural barriers. The comprehension of safety information is particularly urgent in highly hazardous sectors such as agriculture, which has a high migrant workforce rate. In this study, an ergonomic user-centred approach was adopted to develop and evaluate safety training material targeting migrants employed on Italian farms. Focus groups with both trainers and migrants were carried out to collect information on critical issues in traditional training material, the most and least comprehended topics and suggestions for training improvement. Based on the focus group analysis, the training material was developed considering several visual factors and more engaging interaction between trainers and migrant trainees. The usability of the developed material was then evaluated in a group of 20 migrant farmworkers through a questionnaire assessing the knowledge of safety information before (T0) and after (T1) the training (effectiveness), perceived effort in learning (efficiency) and user satisfaction after training. The results showed improved knowledge, low perceived effort and high satisfaction, pointing to the positive effects of active user involvement when designing targeted training materials.

Tractor Rollover Protection: Is the Incorrect Use of Foldable Rollover Protective Structures Due to Human or to Technical Issues?

OBJECTIVE: To identify the critical behaviors that may hinder the correct use of foldable rollover protective structures (FROPS) on tractors and to explore the influence of user factors and FROPS technical characteristics. BACKGROUND: FROPS are effective in preventing fatal injuries in rollover accidents if they are in the upright position. However, many farmers leave FROPS folded down. METHOD: Twenty farmers and sixteen models of tractors were involved in the study. Operators were observed while raising the FROPS, and the observed behaviors were correlated with user factors and FROPS technical features. RESULTS: In the initial rotation of the FROPS, higher lowered roll-bar to ground distance and FROPS pivot-pin to ground distance required more awkward and unbalanced postures (p = .02 and p = .01, respectively). When rotating the FROPS in upright position, smaller stature of the participants and higher FROPS pivot-pin to ground distance were significantly correlated with using the tractor's rear 3-point lower links as a supporting surface (p = .01 and p = .02, respectively). CONCLUSION: FROPS might be revised considering users' comfort in use and anthropometric variability, to improve reachability, avoid risky behaviors, and enhance FROPS operation. APPLICATION: Technical solutions to enhance FROPS accessibility may be developed, particularly by providing safe surfaces to support operators and highlighting the grasping points. Further best practices and information on correct gestures to handle the FROPS should be included in the tractor manual.

Comprehension of Safety Pictograms Affixed to Agricultural Machinery among Pakistani Migrant Farmworkers in Italy.

Objectives: Safety pictograms are important graphic elements that are useful for rapidly conveying messages in workplaces. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comprehension of safety pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery among a group of Pakistani migrant farmworkers employed in Italy. Methods: Interviews about the meanings attributed to four standardized safety pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery depicting the most frequent causes of farm accidents were administered to 29 Pakistani migrant farmworkers employed on Italian farms. Results: There was high variability in pictogram comprehension. None of the participants interpreted all the pictograms in accordance with the definitions provided by the international standards. Higher comprehension rates were reported for pictograms related to the risks of tractor rollover and foot injury, while pictograms referring to the need to consult a technical manual and the risk of entanglement yielded lower comprehension scores. Previous farming experience in the country of origin and the number of years of education were significantly associated with comprehension scores. Conclusion: A discussion of pictogram features that may be critical for comprehension is provided, and (re)design suggestions are given to improve the cross-cultural comprehension of these safety signs.

Risk Assessment for Musculoskeletal Disorders in Forestry: A Comparison between RULA and REBA in the Manual Feeding of a Wood-Chipper.

The analysis of the postural attitude of workers during the interaction with workstation's elements and working environment is essential in the evaluation and prevention of biomechanical overload risk in workplaces. RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) are the two easiest methods for postural risk assessment in the workplace. Few studies investigated postural risk in forestry sector with regard to human⁻machine interaction, in particular manually fed wood-chippers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the postures assumed by an operator during the manual feeding of a wood-chipper, and to compare RULA and REBA, in order to identify the more effective and appropriate method for the assessment of the risk of biomechanical postural overload. The results pointed out several postural issues of the upper limbs, and showed that RULA is a more precautionary method to protect operator's health during the targeted tasks. Implications to improve the human⁻wood-chipper interaction are discussed.

Machinery-Related Perceived Risks and Safety Attitudes in Senior Swedish Farmers.

OBJECTIVES: To perform an ergonomic analysis of work and machinery-related risks in a group of Swedish older farmers, investigating farmers' attitudes and perceptions about: 1) health status and work motivation, 2) physical and cognitive workload and difficulties in the interaction with machinery and technological innovations, and 3) risks and safety practices. METHODS: Nine Swedish male farmers aged 65+ were administered a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire. RESULTS: Participants perceived themselves as being in good health and considered farming as a good proxy of their health status. They reported an increased physical workload but did not describe any cognitive workload. Technology was reported to have low usability, and thus its benefits cannot be fully exploited. Older farmers acknowledged the existence of "new risks" related to the aging process and mainly referred to the common sense and previous experience as the best safety practices. CONCLUSION: Multilevel interventions focused on the capabilities and limits of the older farmers should be developed, involving both training activities and design solutions for the machinery that can support older farmers' health and safety.

Falls From Agricultural Machinery: Risk Factors Related to Work Experience, Worked Hours, and Operators' Behavior.

Objective We investigated the risk factors for falls when egressing from agricultural tractors, analyzing the role played by worked hours, work experience, operators' behavior, and near misses. Background Many accidents occur within the agricultural sector each year. Among them, falls while dismounting the tractor represent a major source of injuries. Previous studies pointed out frequent hazardous movements and incorrect behaviors adopted by operators to exit the tractor cab. However, less is known about the determinants of such behaviors. In addition, near misses are known to be important predictors of accidents, but they have been under-investigated in the agricultural sector in general and as concerns falls in particular. Method A questionnaire assessing dismounting behaviors, previous accidents and near misses, and participants' relation with work was administered to a sample of Italian tractor operators ( n = 286). Results A mediated model showed that worked hours increase unsafe behaviors, whereas work experience decreases them. Unsafe behaviors in turn show a positive association with accidents, via the mediation of near misses. Conclusions We gave a novel contribution to the knowledge of the chain of events leading to fall accidents in the agricultural sector, which is one of the most hazardous industries. Applications Besides tractor design improvements, preventive training interventions may focus on the redesign of the actual working strategies and the adoption of engaging training methods in the use of machinery to optimize the learning of safety practices and safe behaviors.

Part-time farmers and accidents with agricultural machinery: a moderated mediated model on the role played by frequency of use and unsafe beliefs.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed at testing a model of the direct and indirect effects of being a part-time farmer on the probability of being involved in an agricultural machinery-related accident, considering the role played by unsafe beliefs and the frequency of use of machinery. METHODS: Two-hundred and fifty-two Italian men, regular users of agricultural machinery (age: Mean = 45.1 years, standard Deviation = 17.5), were administered a paper-and-pencil questionnaire addressing their relation with work, unsafe beliefs, and previous experience of machinery-related accidents. RESULTS: Being a part-time farmer showed a positive association with unsafe beliefs only among occasional machinery users. Unsafe beliefs in turn showed a positive association with accidents. CONCLUSIONS: The study gave a novel contribution to the knowledge of the chain of events connecting part-time farmers with machinery-related accidents. Preventive training interventions targeting part-timer farmers using agricultural machinery just occasionally should be developed.

It does not occur by chance: a mediation model of the influence of workers' characteristics, work environment factors, and near misses on agricultural machinery-related accidents.

Agriculture is among the most hazardous productive sectors, and farm machinery is a major source of injury. In the present study, a mediated model was used to test the role played by workers' characteristics, work environment factors, and near misses in predicting agricultural machinery-related accidents in a sample of Italian users (n = 290). Hours worked per week (via the mediation of an adverse work environment) showed a positive association and years of work experience (via the mediation of risk perception) showed a negative association with the probability of being involved in a near miss, which in turn showed a positive association with the probability of being involved in a machinery-related accident. Implications for tailored preventive interventions are discussed.