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Many workers are exposed to the effects of heat and often to extreme temperatures. Heat stress has been further aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic by the use of personal protective equipment to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, workers’ risk perception of heat stress is often low, with negative effects on their health and productivity. The study aims to identify workers’ needs and gaps in knowledge, suggesting the adaptation of measures that best comply with the needs of both workers and employers. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted in Italy in the hottest months of 2020 (June–October) through different multimedia channels. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics; analytical tests and analysis of variance were used to evaluate differences between groups of workers. In total, 345 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The whole sample of respondents declared that heat is an important contributor to productivity loss and 83% of workers did not receive heat warnings from their employer. In this context, the internet is considered as the main source of information about heat-related illness in the workplace. Results highlight the need to increase workers’ perception of heat stress in the workplace to safeguard their health and productivity. About two-thirds of the sample stated that working in the sun without access to shaded areas, working indoors without adequate ventilation, and nearby fire, steam, and hot surfaces, represent the main injuries’ risk factors.

The pandemic has been afflicting the planet for over a year and from the occupational point of view, healthcare workers have recorded a substantial increase in working hours. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), necessary to keep safe from COVID-19 increases the chances of overheating, especially during the summer seasons which, due to climate change, are becoming increasingly warm and prolonged. A web survey was carried out in Italy within the WORKLIMATE project during the summer and early autumn 2020. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate differences between groups. 191 questionnaires were collected (hospital doctor 38.2%, nurses 33.5%, other healthcare professionals 28.3%). The impact of PPE on the thermal stress perception declared by the interviewees was very high on the body areas directly covered by these devices (78% of workers). Workers who used masks for more than 4 h per day perceived PPE as more uncomfortable (p &lt, 0.001) compared to the others and reported a greater productivity loss (p &lt, 0.001). Furthermore, the study highlighted a high perception of thermal stress among healthcare workers that worn COVID-19-PPE and this enhances the need for appropriate heat health warning systems and response measures addressed to the occupational sector.

COVID 19 is a major planetary emergency and intense workloads and the potential heat stress create critical conditions for healthcare workers. A web survey was carried out in Italy during summer 2020 as part of WORKLIMATE project with the aim of assessing the interaction between Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and heat stress in healthcare workers. Preliminary results on 191 questionnaires show an increase of heat stress perception in the areas covered by PPE determining symptoms such as thirst, sweating and general distress. This information could be useful to allow preventive measure to safeguard health and productivity of these workers.

L'utilizzo delle radiazioni non ionizzanti è da tempo considerato una modalità non invasiva di intervento in ambito estetico. Poter agire sulle varie parti del corpo, anche in profondità, senza dover ricorrere ad un approccio più tradizionale come quello chirurgico ha indotto una sempre più ampia platea di persone, siano essi operatori del settore o semplici fruitori, a considerare a basso rischio le apparecchiature basate sull'emissione di radiazioni non ionizzanti (nella fattispecie di campi elettromagnetici, radiazioni ottiche, ultrasuoni).In realtà, proprio perché queste apparecchiature sono state progettate al fine di causare delle modificazioni biologiche visibili, il loro utilizzo può essere causa di effetti collaterali per la salute, anche gravi, sia di chi si sottopone ai trattamenti, sia degli operatori (ICNIRP, 2020) Nonostante i possibili effetti nocivi per la salute, il rapido sviluppo tecnologico in questo ambito ha portato alla diffusione di apparecchi ancora privi delle corrispondenti norme tecniche che ne assicurino i requisiti minimi di sicurezza in relazione allo specifico rischio biofisico che il loro utilizzo introduce. Tale fatto è inoltre associato spesso alla mancanza di un'adeguata formazione ed informazione da rivolgere sia agli operatori, sia a chi si sottopone ai trattamenti, che permettano l'utilizzo in sicurezza di queste nuove tipologie di apparecchiature. Una delle tecnologie che si sta diffondendo rapidamente negli ultimi tempi anche in Italia, soprattutto all'interno dei centri estetici, è quella della stimolazione muscolare mediante induzione magnetica. L'utilizzo di queste apparecchiature si è diffuso anche tra coloro che non essendo potuti andare in palestra a causa delle restrizioni dovute all'attuale emergenza sanitaria (Covid-19), vorrebbero sfruttare l'efficacia pubblicizzata di questi apparecchi per riacquistare una buona tonicità muscolare. Tuttavia, le implicazioni protezionistiche degli stimolatori magnetici sono di natura diversa rispetto ai tradizionali stimolatori elettrici, in quanto le correnti elettriche necessarie alla stimolazione muscolare non sono applicate direttamente tramite elettrodi, ma sono indotte nel corpo grazie al fenomeno dell'induzione elettromagnetica, descritto dalla legge di Faraday: Tale modalità è del tutto simile a quanto avviene nella stimolazione magnetica transcranica utilizzata da tempo in ambito clinico per il trattamento e la diagnosi di malattie neurodegenerative. In tali apparati sono presenti delle bobine nelle quali scorrono correnti variabili nel tempo che producono campi magnetici nello spazio circostante ed in particolare nel corpo del soggetto sottoposto al trattamento. Secondo la legge di Faraday, questi campi magnetici, anch'essi variabili nel tempo, generano campi elettrici che in un mezzo conduttivo come il corpo umano danno luogo alle correnti elettriche indotte il cui scopo è la stimolazione dei tessuti nervosi elettricamente eccitabili (Rotenberg, 2014). Nel caso degli stimolatori muscolari, la bobina, mantenuta vicino al muscolo da trattare, è in grado di attivare la contrazione muscolare. Ne consegue che nel caso degli stimolatori muscolari magnetici le implicazioni protezionistiche comprendono quelle connesse alle esposizioni a campi magnetici sia dei soggetti trattati che degli operatori. Infatti, un operatore, che si trovi ad utilizzare la sorgente ad una distanza ravvicinata (ad esempio tenendo l'applicatore in posizione con le mani), potrebbe essere esposto a livelli di campo magnetico molto elevati, tali da superare i valori di azione fissati per i lavoratori professionalmente esposti secondo quanto previsto dal D.lgs. 81/08. Al fine di limitare l'esposizione di operatori ed evitare esposizioni indebite di tutti coloro che potrebbero trovarsi nei pressi del macchinario in funzione, devono essere previste idonee misure di prevenzione e protezione. Da una parte risulta necessario adeguare la normativa tecnica al fine di imporre un'adeguata valutazione del rischio da parte dei produttori di tali apparecchiature, i cui risultati dovrebbero essere inseriti nei manuali di utilizzo. Dall'altra occorre effettuare un'adeguata formazione degli utilizzatori di tali apparati al fine di utilizzarli in modo sicuro. Nel presente lavoro verranno analizzati i suddetti aspetti, fornendo un possibile approccio per la gestione del rischio con particolare riguardo all'esposizione ai campi magnetici degli operatori.

The occupational health and safety framework identifies workers with an active implantable medical device (AIMD), such as a pacemaker (PM) or an implantable defibrillator (ICD), as a particularly sensitive risk group that must be protected against the dangers caused by the interference of electromagnetic field (EMF). In this paper, we describe the results of in vitro testing/measurements performed according to the EN50527-2-1:2016 standard, for the risk assessment of employees with a PM exposed to three EMF sources: (1) An electrosurgical unit (ESU), (2) a transcranial stimulator (TMS), and (3) an arc welder. The ESU did not affect the PM behavior in any of the configurations tested. For the TMS and the arc welder, interference phenomena were observed in limited experimental configurations, corresponding to the maximum magnetic field coupling between the EMF source and the implant. The in vitro measurements presented can be considered an example of how the specific risk assessment for a worker with a PM can be performed, according to one of the methodologies proposed in the EN50527-2-1:2016, and can be used as scientific evidence and literature data for future risk assessments on the same EMF sources.

Purpose. Currents methods for the evaluation and control of optical radiation hazards at workplaces are presented. Methods. Safe exposure criteria that may be readily applied to practical situations are discussed. Hazard evaluation techniques are discussed for a number of intense optical radiation sources. Examples include arc welding, germicidal lamps in medical and laboratories activities, metal and glass melting. Results. Hazard data and PPE choice criteria are provided, taking account of varied critical aspects from the case studies discussed. Conclusions. Some critical aspects in the optical radiation safety management have been discussed. The improvement of protection programmes is needed to raise awareness of the health hazards of optical radiation, and to achieve the application of simple engineering controls and/or administrative controls aimed at ensuring that workers are made aware of the presence of potentially harmful optical radiation and providing information to avoid such harmful exposure, according to AOR Directive.Obiettivi. Il lavoro presenta alcuni elementi utili ai fini della valutazione del richio da radiazioni ottiche negli ambienti di lavoro e alcune criticità emerse in attività ove tale rischio è rilevante. Metodi. Vengono illustrate le principali metodiche per la valutazione ed il controllo del rischio in presenza di sorgenti in grado di esporre a radiazioni ottiche di elevata intensità, quali ad esempio saldatrici ad arco, forni di fusione di vetro o metalli, impiego di lampade germicida in cappe sterili e per la sterilizzazione di ambienti. Risultati. Per i casi studio esaminati vengono presentati i principali risultati ottenuti in differenti scenari espositivi e le principali criticità riscontrate nell’attuazione delle misure di prevenzione e protezione. Conclusioni. Alla luce delle criticità emerse nei casi studio illustrati, ove il rischio espositivo può essere rilevante, anche dal punto di vista degli infortuni causati da esposizioni accidentali ed incontrollate, appare indispensabile che gli attori aziendali della prevenzione acquisiscano un crescente grado di consapevolezza e competenza sul rischio da radiazioni ottiche e sulle appropriate misure di tutela da mettere in atto ai fini della prevenzione dello stesso.

Purpose. The work illustrates useful elements for the risk assessment for workers exposed to electromagnetic fields, also in reference to sensitive subjects such as those with active implantable medical devices (AIMD). Methods. The approach introduced by Legislative Decree 81/08 for risk assessment does not explicitly include operational criteria and specific measures for the protection of sensitive subjects. In the case of workers with DMIA, the employer may refer to relevant harmonized technical standards. Results. They are shown the results of in vitro tests performed on pacemakers following the indications of the technical reference standard and employing sources of electromagnetic fields that, due to the type of signal emitted, do not allow to exclude an a priori influence on the operation of the device. Conclusions. Workers at particular risk are generally protected if the requirements established for the population are respected. This measure may, under certain conditions, not be sufficient,making it necessary to carry out more in-depth and individual assessments. However, the cases illustrated here for AIMD showed interference phenomena only in limited experimental configurations despite the levels of the electric and magnetic fields generated by the sources exceeding the limits for the general population.Obiettivi. La relazione illustra elementi utili alla valutazione del rischio per esposizione ai campi elettromagnetici in ambito occupazionale, anche in riferimento ai soggetti sensibili quali i portatori di dispositivi medici impiantabili attivi (DMIA). Metodi. L’approccio introdotto dal D.lgs 81/08 per la valutazione del rischio non include esplicitamente criteri operativi e misure specifiche per la protezione dei soggetti sensibili. Nel caso dei portatori di DMIA, il datore di lavoro può fare riferimento a pertinenti norme tecniche armonizzate. Risultati. Vengono illustrati i risultati di una sperimentazione in vitro su pacemaker condotta seguendo le indicazioni della norma tecnica di riferimento e impiegando sorgenti di campi elettromagnetici che, per tipologia del segnale emesso, non consentono di escludere un’influenza a priori sul funzionamento del dispositivo. Conclusioni. I lavoratori particolarmente sensibili al rischio sono tutelati, in genere, se sono rispettati i requisiti di protezione stabiliti per la popolazione. Tale misura può, in alcune condizioni, non essere sufficiente rendendo necessario effettuare valutazioni più approfondite e individuali. Tuttavia i casi qui illustrati per i DMIA hanno evidenziato fenomeni di interferenza solo in limitate configurazioni sperimentali, nonostante i livelli dei campi elettrici e magnetici generati dalle sorgenti fossero superiori ai limiti per la popolazione generale.

Le puntatrici elettromeccaniche, considerata l'ampia diffusione e gli elevati livelli di campo generato, costituiscono una importante classe di sorgenti di induzione magnetica a frequenza intermedia. Non di rado, questi apparati espongono gli operatori a intensità di campo superiori ai limiti di legge. Questo lavoro si basa su una campagna di misure svolta congiuntamente dagli specialisti dell'INAIL e della Azienda USL Toscana Sud Est; le puntatrici analizzate sono risultate sorgenti di campi elettromagnetici rilevanti sia per gli operatori addetti che per chiunque si trovi a qualsiasi titolo presente nei pressi dei macchinari in funzione. Vengono fornite indicazioni sul corretto utilizzo al fine di minimizzare l'esposizione degli addetti. Infine si mostra come l'applicazione di metodi di bonifica relativamente semplici abbia condotto ad una sostanziale diminuzione dei livelli di esposizione dei lavoratori coinvolti. L'intervento è stato anche l'occasione per mettere alla prova alcuni degli strumenti web realizzati all'IFAC nell'ambito del progetto ex bando INAIL Bric-2016. Il progetto mira a sviluppare e raccogliere in un portale web una serie di strumenti operativi a supporto dell'attività di valutazione e riduzione del rischio da esposizione ai campi elettromagnetici (CEM) e alle radiazioni ottiche artificiali (ROA).

In the Italian cohort of the EU VIBRISKS research project, a measure of daily vibration exposure constructed with the vascular weighting Wp according to ISO/TR 18570:2017 performed better for the prediction of VWF than that obtained with the frequency weighting Wh recommended in ISO 5349-1:2001.

PURPOSE: To provide an updated epidemiological validation for a supplementary method for assessing the risk of vascular disorders from hand-transmitted vibration. METHODS: The occurrence of vibration-induced white finger (VWF) in the vibration-exposed workers of the Italian cohort of the EU VIBRISKS study was related to measures of daily vibration exposure expressed in terms of r.m.s. acceleration magnitude normalised to an 8-h day, frequency weighted according to either the frequency weighting Wh defined in international standard ISO 5349-1:2001 [Ah(8) in ms- 2] or the hand-arm vascular frequency weighting Wp proposed in the ISO technical report (TR) 18570:2017 [Ap(8) in ms- 2]. To estimate a threshold value for vascular hand-arm vibration risk, the Wp-weighted vibration exposure value Ep,d (in ms- 1.5) was calculated according to the ISO/TR document. The difference in the predictions of VWF between the exposure measures calculated with the frequency weightings Wh or Wp was investigated by means of logistic modelling. RESULTS: Measures of daily vibration exposure constructed with the frequency weighting Wp [Ap(8) and Ep,d], which gives more importance to intermediate- and high-frequency vibration, were better predictors of the occurrence of VWF in the vibration-exposed workers than the metric derived from the conventional ISO frequency weighting Wh [Ah(8)]. There was some epidemiological evidence for a threshold value of Ep,d for the onset of VWF in the vibration-exposed workers. CONCLUSIONS: Measures of daily vibration exposure evaluated with the vascular weighting Wp performed better for the predictions of VWF than those obtained with the frequency weighting Wh recommended in ISO 5349-1.

Neonatal incubators are important tools for sick newborns in the first few days of life. Nevertheless, their electric engine, often very close to the newborn's body, emits electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which newborns are exposed. Aim of this paper is to review the available literature on EMF exposure in incubators, and the effects of such exposures on newborns that have been investigated.We carried out a systematic review of studies about EMF emissions produced by incubators, using Medline and Embase databases from 1993 to 2017.We retrieved 15 papers that described the EMF exposure in incubators and their biological effects on babies. EMF levels in incubators appear to be between 2 and 100 mG, depending on the distance of the mattress from the electric engine. In some cases, they exceed this range. These values interfere with melatonin production or with vagal tone. Even caregivers are exposed to high EMF, above 200 mG, when working at close contact with the incubators.EMF have been described as potentially hazardous for human health, and values reported in this review are an alert to prevent babies' and caregivers' exposure when close to the incubators. A precautionary approach should be adopted in future incubator design, to prevent high exposures of newborns in incubators and of caregivers as well.

Portable - or "laptop" - computers (LCs) are widely and increasingly used all over the world. Since LCs are often used in tight contact with the body even by pregnant women, fetal exposures to low frequency magnetic fields generated by these units can occur. LC emissions are usually characterized by complex waveforms and are often generated by the main AC power supply (when connected) and by the display power supply sub-system. In the present study, low frequency magnetic field emissions were measured for a set of five models of portable computers. For each of them, the magnetic flux density was characterized in terms not just of field amplitude, but also of the so called "weighted peak" (WP) index, introduced in the 2003 ICNIRP Statement on complex waveforms and confirmed in the 2010 ICNIRP Guidelines for low frequency fields. For the model of LC presenting the higher emission, a deeper analysis was also carried out, using numerical dosimetry techniques to calculate internal quantities (current density and in-situ electric field) with reference to a digital body model of a pregnant woman. Since internal quantities have complex waveforms too, the concept of WP index was extended to them, considering the ICNIRP basic restrictions defined in the 1998 Guidelines for the current density and in the 2010 Guidelines for the in-situ electric field. Induced quantities and WP indexes were computed using an appropriate original formulation of the well known Scalar Potential Finite Difference (SPFD) numerical method for electromagnetic dosimetry in quasi-static conditions.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of four frequency weightings for hand-transmitted vibration to predict the incidence of vibration-induced white finger (VWF). Methods In a longitudinal study of vibration-exposed forestry and stone workers (N=206), the incidence of VWF was related to measures of vibration exposure expressed in terms of 8-hour frequency-weighted energy-equivalent root-mean-square (rms) acceleration magnitude [A(8)] and years of follow-up. To calculate A(8), the rms acceleration magnitudes of vibration were weighted by means of four frequency weightings: (i) W(subscript h) (the frequency weighting specified in ISO 5349-1:2001); (ii) W(subscript h-bl) (the band-limiting component of W(subscript h)); (iii) W(subscript hf) (a frequency weighting based on finger vibration power absorption); and (iv) W(subscript hT) (a frequency weighting based on a Japanese study of VWF prevalence). The relations of VWF to alternative measures of vibration exposure were assessed by the generalized estimating equations (GEE) method to account for the within-subject dependency of the observations over time. Results Data analysis with a GEE logistic model and a measure of statistical fit suggested that calculating A(8) by weighting the tool rms accelerations with W(subscript h-bl) gave better predictions of the cumulative incidence of VWF than the other alternative measures of daily vibration exposure. Values of A(8) derived from the currently recommended ISO frequency weighting W(subscript h) produced poorer predictions of the incidence of VWF than those obtained with frequency weightings W(subscript hf) or W(subscript hT). Conclusions This prospective cohort study suggests that measures of daily vibration exposure which give relatively more weight to intermediate and high frequency vibration are more appropriate for assessing the probability of VWF.

The Italian vibration database is presented. It is hosted by a web server at the National Institute of Occupational Prevention and Safety (ISPESL) in Rome, Italy (http: / /www.ispesl.it/vibrationdatabase). It supports in risk assessment employers who have to comply with Legislative Decree 187/05, now replaced by Legislative Decree 81/08, which transposes into law Vibration Directive 2002/44/EC. The database currently contains measurements and EC-declared values from over 980 hand-held power tools (such as pneumatic and electric hammers, chainsaws, grinders, drills, sanders and saws) and from over 420 vehicles (such as buses, forklifts and wheel tractors). The database is continuously updated as soon as new experimental and declared data are acquired.

Incubators are largely used to preserve preterm and sick babies from postnatal stressors, but their motors produce high electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Newborns are chronically exposed to these EMFs, but no studies about their effects on the fragile developing neonatal structure exist. Aim: To verify whether the exposure to incubator motor electric power may alter autonomous nervous system activity in newborns. Material and methods: We studied hear rate variability (HRV) in 43 newborns while in incubators. The study group was composed of 27 newborns whose HRV was studied throughout three 5-minute periods: with incubator motor on, off, and on again, respectively. Mean HRV values obtained during each period were compared. The control group was composed of 16 newborns with constantly unrecordable EMF and exposed to changes in background noise, similar to those provoked by the incubator motor. Results: Mean total power and HF (High frequency) component of HRV increased significantly (from 87.1±76.2 msec2 to 183.6±168.5 msec2) and mean LF/HF (Low/High frequency) ratio decreased significantly (from 2.0±0.5 to 1.5±0.6) when the incubator motor was turned off. Basal values (HF =107.1±118.1msec2 and LF/HF = 1.9±0.6) were restored when incubators were turned on again. The LF spectral component of HRV showed a statistically significant change only in the second phase of the experiment. Changes in background noise did not provoke any significant change in HRV. Conclusion: EMFs produced by incubators influence newborns9 HRV, showing an influence on their autonomous nervous system. More research is needed to assess possible long-term consequences, since premature newborns may be exposed to these high EMFs for months.

Phototherapy is the use of light for reducing the concentration of bilirubin in the body of infants. Although it has become a mainstay since its introduction in 1958, a better understanding of the efficacy and safety of phototherapy applications seems to be necessary for improved clinical practices and outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate workers' exposure to Optical Radiation from different types of phototherapy devices in clinical use in Italy. During infant phototherapy the staff monitors babies periodically for around 10 min every hour, and fixation of the phototherapy beam light frequently occurs: almost all operators work within 30 cm of the phototherapy source during monitoring procedures, with most of them commonly working at ≤25 cm from the direct or reflected radiation beam. The results of this study suggest that there is a great variability in the spectral emission of equipments investigated, depending on the types of lamps used and some phototherapy equipment exposes operators to blue light photochemical retinal hazard. Some of the equipment investigated presents relevant spectral emission also in the UVA region. Taking into account that the exposure to UV in childhood has been established as an important contributing factor for melanoma risk in adults and considering the high susceptibility to UV-induced skin damage of the newborn, related to his pigmentary traits, the UV exposure of the infant during phototherapy should be "as low as reasonably achievable," considering that it is unnecessary to the therapy. It is recommended that special safety training be provided for the affected employees: in particular, protective eyewear can be necessary during newborn assistance activities carried out in proximity of some sources. The engineering design of phototherapy equipment can be optimized. Specific requirements for photobiological safety of lamps used in the phototherapy equipment should be defined in the safety product standard for such equipment.

Uncertainties associated with field assessments of daily exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) have been investigated in four categories of work vehicles (fork lift trucks, wheel loaders, garbage trucks, buses) in different working conditions. A total of 50 vehicles were included in the study. WBV exposures were measured in different field conditions in marble quarries, marble laboratories, dockyards, paper mills, transportation and public utilities: over 700 individual vibration measurements were analysed to quantify relevant uncertainty components due to changes in the operators' working methods, variations in the characteristics and conditions of the machines, changes in the characteristics of the travelling surface, uncertainty in the evaluation of exposure duration, and systematic errors due to measurement equipment. The methods used in the study to calculate measurement uncertainties are in accordance with the ISO publication "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement". The study made it possible to isolate major sources of uncertainty in field assessment of daily exposures to WBV. The investigation revealed that, in all the field conditions, differences in the characteristics of the machines and/or in working cycles were the most relevant uncertainty components. The overall relative uncertainty p in WBV field assessment was in the range 14%

The aims of this paper is to measure whether ferromagnetic panels sufficiently reduce the high electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which newborns are exposed in incubators and to which caregivers are exposed when working near the incubators. We measuredEMF at mattress level in three neonatal incubators with and without ferromagnetic panels between the electric motor and the mattress. We then measured the EMF at the level of the maximum emission point for caregivers, i.e., near the display panel. The ferromagnetic panels were (a) 5 mm thick iron, (b), (c), (d) respectively, one, two, and three sheets of 0.3 mm thick mu-metal. The weight of iron sheet was 4 g ∕ cm 2 , and mu-metal 0.2 g ∕ cm 2 . The use of the ferromagnetic panels significantly reduced the EMF. No significant difference in attenuation was recorded using one, two, or three sheets of mu-metal, or a single sheet of iron. One, two, and three sheets of mu-metal reduced EMFs by 77%, 82%, and 84.3%, respectively; the reduction with iron was 80%. EMF values measured in incubators were higher than those to which the general population is exposed. The use of ferromagnetic panels significantly reduces the level of EMFs to which neonates and caregivers are exposed.

The present study aimed to (1) employ the method for evaluation of vibration containing multiple shocks according to ISO/CD 2631-5:2014 (Model 1) and DIN SPEC 45697:2012 in a cohort of 537 professional drivers, (2) deliver the results for a re-analysis of epidemiological data obtained in the VIBRISKS study, (3) clarify the extent to which vibration acceleration and individual variables influence risk values, such as the daily compressive dose S(ed) and the risk factor R, and (4) compare the results with in vivo measurements and those obtained in previous studies with similar models. The risk factor R was influenced by the acceleration, lifetime exposure duration, sitting posture, age at the start of exposure and body mass/body mass index in order of decreasing effect. Age and annual and daily exposure duration had only a marginal effect. The daily compressive dose S(ed) and the risk factor R showed weak linear association with the daily vibration exposure A(8) and the vibration dose value VDV. The study revealed high shear forces in the lumbar spine.In a re-analysis of an epidemiological study of professional drivers, a software tool available with standards DIN SPEC 45697:2012 and ISO/CD 2631–5:2014 Model 1 was used to calculate the risk to the lumbar spine in terms of daily compressive dose S(ed) and risk factor R. The tool was found to be suitable for risk assessment in a large cohort.

This article presents the new Italian database of physical agents, which is available at http://www.portaleagentifisici.it. It supports in risk assessment employers who have to comply with Italy's Legislative Decree 81/2008 (transposing into law European Union Directives 2003/10/EC, 2002/44/EC, 2004/40/EC and 2006/25/EC). The database currently contains measurements and declared European Community (EC) values from over 2540 machines; in particular, the database hosts data on mechanical vibration from over 1430 hand-held power tools (e.g., pneumatic and electric hammers, chainsaws, grinders, drills, sanders and saws) and from over 1020 whole-body machines (e.g., buses, fork lifts and wheel tractors). The database is continuously updated as soon as new experimental and declared data are acquired.

In this paper, a procedure is described for the assessment of human exposure to magnetic fields with complex waveforms generated by arc-welding equipment. The work moves from the analysis of relevant guidelines and technical standards, underlining their strengths and their limits. Then, the procedure is described with particular attention to the techniques used to treat complex waveform fields. Finally, the procedure is applied to concrete cases encountered in the workplace. The discussion of the results highlights the critical points in the procedure, as well as those related to the evolution of the technical and exposure standards.

This article reports on a general method of evaluating exposure to infrared radiation (IR-A, IR-B, IR-C) from high temperature (T1000 degrees C) black body sources, simply by performing measurements with a luxometric and/or near IR detector. The method, which may be applied to any black body source, uses the universality of the Planck formula for the black body spectrum, which allows estimation of the radiated power in any wavelength range by measuring the power radiated in another range. This capability may be very useful when the range of interest is one in which radiometers are expensive and difficult to calibrate, as for the IR-B and IR-C ranges, because a more commonly available luxometer can be used instead. The results of measurements and evaluations in two traditional Italian glass factories are reported and compared with the threshold limit value given by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Intense exposures in the IR-B and IR-C ranges has been found for some workers, exceeding the limit by a large factor. This exposure must be reduced, as it has been shown by epidemiologic studies that there is indeed a correlation between cataractogenesis and work with fused glass and metals.

Whole Body Vibration (WBV) is the shaking or jolting of the human body through a supporting surface, usually a seat or floor. The risk from vibration is related to the overall time the operator or driver is exposed to the vibration and the number of shocks and jolts they experience each day. In the 27 countries of Europe the EC Physical Agents Directive, effective 6th July 2010, requires all employers to control exposure to a number of hazards including noise and vibration. The EC Vibration Directive sets out regulations for the control of health and safety risks from the exposure of workers to hand arm vibration (HAV) and whole body vibration (WBV) in the workplace. The maritime sector needs to comply: high exposure WBV levels can be found when operating RIBs and High Speed Craft. Marine sectors affected by Whole Body Vibration (WBV) include military, searchrescue, government agencies, local authorities, police, water sports, oilgas, thrill ride, charter and all organisations operating boats, RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boat) and High Speed Craft.

Portable computers are often used at tight contact with the body and therefore are called "laptop." The authors measured electromagnetic fields (EMFs) laptop computers produce and estimated the induced currents in the body, to assess the safety of laptop computers. The authors evaluated 5 commonly used laptop of different brands. They measured EMF exposure produced and, using validated computerized models, the authors exploited the data of one of the laptop computers (LTCs) to estimate the magnetic flux exposure of the user and of the fetus in the womb, when the laptop is used at close contact with the woman's womb. In the LTCs analyzed, EMF values (range 1.8-6 μT) are within International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines, but are considerably higher than the values recommended by 2 recent guidelines for computer monitors magnetic field emissions, MPR II (Swedish Board for Technical Accreditation) and TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), and those considered risky for tumor development. When close to the body, the laptop induces currents that are within 34.2% to 49.8% ICNIRP recommendations, but not negligible, to the adult's body and to the fetus (in pregnant women). On the contrary, the power supply induces strong intracorporal electric current densities in the fetus and in the adult subject, which are respectively 182-263% and 71-483% higher than ICNIRP 98 basic restriction recommended to prevent adverse health effects. Laptop is paradoxically an improper site for the use of a LTC, which consequently should be renamed to not induce customers towards an improper use.

With the aim of investigating the capability of otoacoustic emission (OAE) in the detection of low levels of noise-induced hearing loss, audiometric and otoacoustic data of young workers (age: 18-35) exposed to different levels of industrial noise have been recorded. These subjects are participating in a long-term longitudinal study, in which audiometric, exposure (both professional and extra-professional), and OAE data (transient evoked and distortion product) will be collected for a period of several years. All measurements have been performed, during routine occupational health surveillance, with a standard clinical apparatus and acquisition procedure, which can be easily used in the occupational safety practice. The first study was focused on the correlation between transient evoked OAE signal-to-noise ratio and distortion product (DPOAE) OAE level and the audiometric threshold, investigating the causes of the rather large intersubject variability of the OAE levels. The data analysis has shown that, if both OAE data and audiometric data are averaged over a sufficiently large bandwidth, the correlation between DPOAE levels and audiometric hearing threshold is sufficient to design OAE-based diagnostic tests with good sensitivity and specificity also in a very mild hearing loss range, between 10 and 20 dB.

The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) was investigated in 598 Italian professional drivers exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV) and ergonomic risk factors (drivers of earth moving machines, fork-lift truck drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers). The control group consisted of a small sample of 30 fire inspectors not exposed to WBV. Personal, occupational and health histories were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. Vibration measurements were performed on representative samples of the machines and vehicles used by the driver groups. From the vibration magnitudes and exposure durations, alternative measures of vibration dose were estimated for each subject. Daily vibration exposure, expressed in terms of 8-h energy-equivalent frequency-weighted acceleration, A (8), averaged 0.28–0.61 (range 0.10–1.18) m s −2 rms in the driver groups. Duration of exposure to WBV ranged between 1 and 41 years. The 7-day and 12-month prevalence of LBP was greater in the driver groups than in the controls. In the professional drivers, the occurrence of 12-month LBP, high intensity of LBP (Von Korff pain scale score ⩾5), and LBP disability (Roland & Morris disability scale score ⩾12) significantly increased with increasing cumulative vibration exposure. Even though several alternative measures of vibration exposure were associated with LBP outcomes, nevertheless a more regular trend of association with LBP was found for vibration dose expressed as ∑ a vi t i (m s −2 h), in which the frequency-weighted acceleration, a v , and lifetime exposure duration, t , were given equal weight. In multivariate data analysis, individual characteristics (e.g. age, body mass index) and a physical load index (derived from combining manual materials handling and awkward postures) were significantly associated with LBP outcomes, while psychosocial work factors (e.g. job decision, job support) showed a marginal relation to LBP. This study tends to confirm that professional driving in industry is associated with an increased risk of work-related LBP. Exposure to WBV and physical loading factors at work are important components of the multifactorial origin of LBP in professional drivers.

Job hazards and preventive measures for workers Since the beginning of the Christian era, the Apuanian Alps between the provinces of Massa Carrara and Lucca in Tuscany, have been a centre for the excavation of white marble, venato and arabescato, and Cardoso stone. Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of calcium carbonate with a quartz content of less than 1%. Cardoso stone (from the name of the village of Cardoso) is a dark grey metamorphic sandstone made up of alternate thin layers of microgranular quartz and carbonate, as well as lamellas of disorientated mica, for example muscovite, with a quartz content of 60%. They are precious materials, used in Italy and worldwide to cover surfaces and flooring or as an architectural or structural element in building and for the realisation of sculptures. To prevent, as much as possible, the alteration or breakage of the material, the methods used for extracting this stone are different to those adopted for the extraction of rocks used in the building or chemical industry. The quarrying industry in the Apuanian Alps directly employs about 1000 workers in the area of Massa Carrara and 200 in Alta Versilia (a small mountainous area in the Province of Lucca), including the transporters of the extracted material from the quarries to the processing and commercialisation locations. The workers are exclusively male. To be a quarryman, specific professionalism is required, only attained with a long apprenticeship in the local quarries. In Alta Versilia the average age of the quarrymen is about 40 years and the specific length of service is high (over 10 years). In the same area, the excavation, or to use the formal term “exploitation”, is carried out at an altitude between 200 and 1600 metres above sea level. Because of the altitude some quarries close during the …

Objectives: To assess the amplification and distortion of noise in incubators by measuring noise levels from various sources under various conditions. Study Design: We recorded sound pressure levels (SPL) of background noise, baby crying, alarms and porthole closing with the incubator hood open or closed. Then we tried to reduce the sound level in the incubator by applying a sound absorbing panel to the ceiling of the hood. Results: The sound sources analysed produced very high SPL. In free field baby crying and porthole noise were, respectively, 81–83 dB and 70–71 dB, closing the hood they raised to 84–87 and 73–74 dB: this means that the noise perceived by a baby in the incubator had twice the SPL of the same noise emitted in a free field; alarm noise was 56–57 dB inside incubators. Sound emitted inside the hood was also distorted, i.e. it had different features from the same source in a free field. The insulating panel prevented amplification and distortion due to the hood and reduced the SPL of alarms. Only background noise did not decrease with the panel. Sound absorbing panel reduced baby’s crying, porthole noise and alarm noise SPL to 82–85, 70–71 and 50–51 dB, respectively. Conclusions: Incubators are reverberating environments, which amplify the baby’s cry and other noises produced inside the hood. The frequency components of noises are altered by the hood. The sound absorbing panel reduced this phenomenon.

The occurrence of several types of low back pain (LBP) was investigated by a standardized questionnaire in a group of 219 port machinery operators exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV) and postural load and in a control group of 85 maintenance workers employed at the same transport company. The group of port machinery operators included 85 straddle carrier drivers, 88 fork-lift truck drivers, and 46 crane operators. The vector sum of the frequency-weighted r.m.s. acceleration of vibration measured on the seatpan of port vehicles and machines averaged 0·90 m/s 2 for fork-lift trucks, 0·48 m/s 2 for straddle carriers, 0·53 m/s 2 for mobile cranes, and 0·22 m/s 2 for overhead cranes. The 12-month prevalence of low back symptoms (LBP, sciatic pain, treated LBP, sick leave due to LBP) was significantly greater in the fork-lift truck drivers than in the controls and the other two groups of port machinery operators. After adjusting for potential confounders, the prevalence of low back symptoms was found to increase with the increase of WBV exposure expressed as duration of exposure (driving years), equivalent vibration magnitude (m/s 2 ), or cumulative vibration exposure (yr m 2 /s 4 ). An excess risk for lumbar disc herniation was observed in the port machinery operators with prolonged driving experience. In both the controls and the port machinery operators, low back complaints were strongly associated with perceived postural load assessed in terms of frequency and/or duration of awkward postures at work. Multivariate analysis showed that vibration exposure and postural load were independent predictors of LBP. Even though the cross-sectional design of the present study does not permit firm conclusions on the relationship between WBV exposure and low back disorders, the findings of this investigation provide additional epidemiological evidence that seated WBV exposure combined with non-neutral trunk postures, as while driving, is associated with an increased risk of long-term adverse health effects on the lower back.

The 2nd International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries, held in Siena (Italy), 7-9 November 2000, was organized by the Department of Prevention of the Local Health Unit 7 (AUSL 7) of Siena, in co-operation with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Prevention (ISPESL) of Rome (Italy) and the University of Siena (Italy). The conference was sponsored by the European Commission under the BIOMED 2 Concerted Action BMH4-CT98-3291 (Vibration Injury Network). The conference took a similar form to the 1st International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries held at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, England, 15-17 September 1997 (see Journal of Sound and Vibration 215, 1998). The vibration experienced by some vehicle and machine operators has long been suspected to be a cause of injuries. There is epidemiological evidence that occupational exposure to whole-body vibration is associated with an increased risk of low back pain, sciatic pain, and degenerative changes in the spinal system. There is, however, not yet sufficient data to outline a clear exposure-response relationship between whole-body vibration exposures and low back pain disorders. There are guides, standards and proposed legislation intended to protect workers from excessive exposure to whole-body vibration and mechanical shock. Models have been developed to predict forces in the spine associated with vibration and shock. Biodynamic models have been developed to estimate risks of injury and optimize environments so as to minimize risks. This conference provided a unique opportunity to exchange information on the potential for injury from whole-body vibration and mechanical shock, to increase understanding of the mechanisms of injury, to improve methods of investigating the effects of whole-body vibration and shock, and to disseminate understanding by means of preventing injury. Eighty persons participated in the conference from 16 countries: Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States of America, Yugoslavia. Researchers from various disciplines - biomechanics, physics, physiology, engineering and medicine - exchanged their ideas with respect to the state-of-the-art, the main criticisms of experimental and epidemiological data, and the future directions of research. The main topics of the papers presented at the conference involved: epidemiology, physiological measurements and pathological investigations, biodynamic measurements, models and analogues, measurement and evaluation of exposures, seating dynamics, guidelines, standards, and other preventative measures, compensation and legal implications. Thirty-four papers were presented at the conference. Following independent review, 18 of the papers have been accepted for publication in this issue of the Journal of Sound and Vibration. In addition to the benefits accruing to areas of biodynamics, modelling, clinical and epidemiological research, the advances in knowledge promoted by the papers have potentially important socio-economic implications. Such benefits were evident in a special session of the conference dedicated to preventative measures and the promotion of the transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the field. Some of the results from work packages of the EU research project BIOMED 2 "Vibration Injury Network" identified preventative measures, including guidelines for whole-body vibration health surveillance, a survey of technical preventative measures to reduce whole-body vibration effects when designing mobile machinery, criteria for the recognition of whole-body vibration injury as an occupational disease, and a whole-body vibration database on the Internet. The main effort of this conference was to summarize the current state of knowledge in the field of whole-body vibration injuries and identify practical implications for risk prevention. The results of the conference confirmed that epidemiological data providing direct information on exposure-response relationships for spinal disorders induced by whole-body vibration are still limited. For this reason, emphasis was placed on the implications from experimental studies and clinical observations, the development of computational biomechanical models, and on research strategies to improve knowledge in the future. Together, this approach should provide a framework to facilitate the development of future guidelines and improve standardization of the assessment of the risks of whole-body vibration at the workplace and develop vibration-specific preventative measures.

A survey of PACS and related research in Italy has been carried out during the first half of 1990 in order to quantify the diffusion of commercial PACS and the state-of-the-art of non-commercial PACS experimentations in health care institutions.