[Criteria and modalities of assessment of work fitness for jobs in food industry]. / Criteri e modalità di formulazione dei giudizi di idoneità in un'azienda del comparto alimentare.

Current legislation establishes the general methods and standards of judgement concerning fitness of workers to perform particular jobs. The object of this study was to verify particular criteria and methods that, in observance of the law, allow the physician to maintain in productive activity workers with chronic disease or permanent consequences of industrial accidents in Apulia, Southern Italy. In accordance with the law, 156 workers and their work environment are regularly under surveillance. In the last few years it was possible to accurately diagnose all diseases that may be involved in particular work fitness checks. 3 workers suffered the permanent consequences of very serious labour accidents amputation of II, III, IV fingers of the right hand; a slight post-traumatic shortening (shrinkage) of the right femur; tympanic membrane perforation). 7 workers suffered from non-work related disease (substitution of aortic valve, allergic asthma, virus B chronic hepatitis, chronic glomerulonephritis, replacement of right knee, rheumatoid arthritis, thrombosis of the retinal central vein without a vision reduction). The criteria for an "fitness judgement" are: an accurate diagnosis and evaluation of residual functional ability, analysis of the original job, with an investigation in the field, and break down into the single operations in order to assess all work-related risks (concerning health, safety and physical resources), and evaluation of work organization per job. It was thus possible to define particular adjustments to the original job, so as to be compatible with the current physical conditions the workers. Workers, factory directors and union officers accepted these particular criteria and standard of "work fitness judgement, which made it possible to apply them in practice with consequent reinstatement of workers in productive activity.

[Minor and major work accidents in a Puglia business in the food sector: a 10-year study]. / Infortuni sul lavoro minori e maggiori in una azienda pugliese del settore alimentare: uno studio decennale.

At present no official data are available for those occupational accidents which, according to current law, are not subject to notification to the Italian National Institute for Insurance of Occupational Accidents (INAIL) and which are conventionally called "minor" accidents. They can be divided into accidents with prognosis from 1 to 3 days (franchises) and accidents which do not cause absence from work (medications). The already mentioned lack of data, which is not confined to Italy, is reflected in the small number of articles published in Italian and international journals. Also information regarding the possible relationships between "minor" accidents and the life habits of injured workers, are rare. The aim of this study was to provide detailed data on the characteristics of the different kinds of occupational accidents occurring in a food factory in Apulia, southern Italy, from 1985 to 1994, as well as to verify whether any relationship existed between the different types of occupational accidents and the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol by injured workers. The company's accident register yielded data on injuries which caused absence from work; the nursing service register provided information about accidents which did not determine absence from work; personal health documents gave details of worker life habits; and the company pay roll showed the amount of "worked hours". "Minor" accidents represented 70% of all accidents occurring during the ten year period studied. "Blue collars" had more frequent and serious occupational injuries, in comparison with "technical employees". "Minor" accidents, and especially "medications", occurred more frequently during one-shift work than during three-shift work. As work seniority increased, the number of "major" accidents decreased and number of accidents without absence from work rose. Contusions were the most frequent lesions and were responsible for the majority of the 3 kinds of accidents. "Medications"" together with injuries notified to INAIL ("major" accidents), mostly involved upper limbs; "franchises" were mostly head interested. About 50% of all causes of occupational accidents were mainly associated with unsafe environmental and working situations, whereas the remaining 50% were mainly associated with unsafe behaviour by workers. Heavy smokers showed a higher frequency of "major" accidents. As alcohol consumption rose, she did number of accidents with absence from work. "Minor" accidents, particularly the "medicated" ones, represented the greatest part of occupational injuries. All the considered causes and circumstances contributed to determine the different kinds of accidents. Thereby, it appears necessary for prevention purposes to obtain information about any kind of injury in the different manufacturing sectors. Finally, it seems dutiful to inform workers about the relationships between life habits and occupational accidents.