[Epidemiology of work-related diseases in ULSS 12 Venice (Italy)]. / Epidemiologia delle malattie professionali nella ULSS 12 Veneziana.

In Veneto, like in Italy, in the last years the course of the professional diseases shown a trend in reduction. This trend has had to the difficulty to recognize the professional aetiology of multifactorial diseases. In the Venice the analysis of the course of the professional diseases in last the 4-5 years has demonstrated an increase of the communications of diseases from the doctors who operate in hospital to the SPISAL for the active search for pathologies asbestos and CVM correlated; moreover it has been a reduction of the hearing loss from noise from 2000 and it has been increment of cancer of lung and mesothelioma from 2001. Emergent diseases, like the allergy, the back diseases and those tied to the organizational constriction, are sottostimate. They have been a collaboration with the doctors of hospital, the doctors of factories, the INAIL and the court.

[Exposure to arsenic in the manufacture of glass rods. Results of the biological monitoring and preventive indications]. / L'esposizione ad arsenico nella produzione artigianale della bacchetta di vetro. Risultati del monitoraggio biologico e indicazioni preventive.

Nowadays arsenic trioxid is still used in the hand made glass production in Murano. In the last years, many industries have reduced its use but, in some specific lines of production, such as the "bacchetta di vetro" for the secondary "a lume" production, there is still a considerable use. Biological monitoring, carried out through urinary arsenic measurement, shows as workers employed in the mixture preparation and in the furnace work, are still significantly exposed to arsenic, despite the technical preventive measures adopted. We propose further measures to reduce this risk.

Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to N,N-dimethylacetamide with identification of a new metabolite.

AIMS: To study the concentration of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) and its metabolite, N-methylacetamide (NMA), in urine of workers occupationally exposed to DMA in a factory producing synthetic acrylic fibres. METHODS: During the first phase, 223 workers exposed to low environmental concentrations of DMA provided urine samples at the end of a work shift. High concentrations of the unmodified solvent and its metabolite were found in a group of workers whose job was to start up machinery. The second and third phases focused on conditions favouring high uptake of DMA. RESULTS: The highest concentrations of unmodified solvent and NMA were found in the urine of workers recently engaged in starting up machinery. NMA in urine was 1.5-173.6 mg/g creatinine (median 20.5). In spite of the low environmental concentration, about 20% of the urine concentration of NMA was higher than 30 mg/g creatinine. Dermal absorption of DMA was high. A shower and a change of clothing at the end of the work shift, and washing away any solvent left on the skin, ensured that dermal absorption of DMA did not continue. This significantly reduced the NMA urinary concentration at values lower than 30 mg/g creatinine. In some urine samples, S-acetamidomethyl-mercapturic acid was identified by NMR analysis; this is probably a metabolite of N,N-dimethylacetamide--it has never before been identified in humans or animals. CONCLUSIONS: Even at low environmental concentrations of DMA, dermal absorption can be considerable. Unmodified DMA and NMA concentrations in urine are good biomarkers for monitoring occupational exposure to the solvent.

[Serious risks that workers might not be able to identify]. / Gravi rischi che i lavoratori possono non saper riconoscere.

Two cases of occupational accident in confined spaces, recently occurred in the harbour of Venice, are reported in this article. The authors point out that preventive measures have always to be adopted to prevent appropriately occupational risks in confined spaces. They also remark that, in the workplaces where these risks have to be faced, adequate information should be well evident and written in proper language and they believe that proper labelling is a crucial element. Finally, they suggest that a briefing and a periodic training must be given to the workers professionally exposed.