Sensory Perception: An Overlooked Target of Occupational Exposure to Metals

The effect of exposure to industrial metals on sensory perception of workers has received only modest interest from the medical community to date. Nevertheless, some experimental and epidemiological data exist showing that industrial metals can affect vision, hearing and olfactory function, and a similar effect is also suggested for touch and taste. In this review the main industrial metals involved are discussed. An important limit in available knowledge is that, to date, the number of chemicals studied is relatively small. Another is that the large majority of the studies have evaluated the effect of a single chemical on a single sense. As an example, we know that mercury can impair hearing, smell, taste, touch and also vision, but we have scant idea if, in the same worker, a relation exists between impairments in different senses, or if impairments are independent. Moreover, workers are frequently exposed to different chemicals; a few available results suggest that a co-exposure may have no effect, or result in both an increase and a decrease of the effect, as observed for hearing loss, but this aspect certainly deserves much more study. As a conclusion, exposure to industrial metals can affect sensory perception, but knowledge of this effect is yet incomplete, and is largely inadequate especially for an estimation of “safe” thresholds of exposure. These data support the desirability of further good quality studies in this field

Occupational health surveillance of workers exposed to electromagnetic fields according to the current Italian legislation

Summary—The health surveillance (HS) of workers exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) aims at the prevention of known EMF adverse effects. No specific lab tests or medical investigations are useful for routine monitoring of exposure and/or in the prevention of adverse effects occurrence. The main HS scopes are the recognition of workers at particular risk and/or of the occurrence of unexpected symptoms

Macular degeneration and occupational risk factors: a systematic review

Purpose: Macular degeneration is a multi-factorial disease, leading cause of blindness for people over 50 years old in developed countries. To date, the knowledge on possible occupational factors involved in the development of the disease is scant. Method: We performed a systematic scientific literature search on the association between macular degeneration and occupational risk factors searching the MedLine and Scopus databases. Results: We examined 158 articles and, according to the inclusion criteria, 13 peer-reviewed studies evaluating occupational risk factors for macular degeneration or reporting the frequency of the disease in specific groups of workers were included in the review. Ten on thirteen articles evaluated the presence of macular degeneration in workers exposed to solar radiation. Only one study found that non-specific history of occupational chemical exposure was associated with the disease. Two studies showed an association between macular degeneration and the general category of “blue-collar” workers, but they did not identify the specific risk factors involved. Conclusions: To date few studies have examined occupational risk factors for macular degeneration. Nevertheless, available data indicate that long-term occupational solar radiation exposure, in particular for its blue-light component, is associated with macular degeneration in outdoor workers

Health surveillance according to the new EU Directive 2013/35/EU: possible criteria

In a discussion on possible criteria for health surveillance (HS) of workers exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) it should be stated beforehand that the new EMF Directive 2013/35/EU specifically refers to the protection from the risks associated with known direct biophysical and indirect effects caused by EMF (0-300 GHz), while does not address to suggested long-term effects. HS of EMF exposed workers should be performed based on the results of the risk assessment, but until now no international guidelines or authoritative documents on criteria to be applied are available. A further specific problem is HS of workers "at particular risk", as: (a) no shared comprehensive definition of these workers is currently available, and (b) an adherence to the ELVs of the Directive 2013/35/UE do not necessarily provide an adequate protection workers at particular risk and e.g. interference problems, especially with pacemakers, may occur at lower levels. As a conclusion, at present the problem concerning the HS of workers exposed to EMF is that sound scientific data, especially on groups at higher risk, are largely insufficient, and do not give an adequate support to the occupational physician to face the problem; accordingly, no consensus exists regarding adequate procedures to be applie

Occupational Health and Safety in the Healthcare Sector

Healthcare workers are exposed to several different occupational risk factors, and they pay an important tribute in terms of occupational diseases and work-related injuries. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has focused the attention on the problem of the infectious risk, which is certainly among the risks typically expected and specifically recognized for the health personnel, but also other occupational risks should not be overlooked, as, e.g., the risks associated with work-organization factors and with the exposure to chemical and physical agents. The health consequences associated with the exposure to all these factors have relevant impacts in terms of induced diseases, DALYs, sickness absence from work and costs for the health systems. According to these premises, this reprint has collected manuscripts addressing topics related to the prevention of the occupational risks in the healthcare sector, including original articles and reviews on the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries of the health personnel, as well as on the evaluation of the risks in the healthcare workplaces, and on the topics of risk perception and of the knowledge and attitudes of the workers towards the preventive procedures and the use of protections. The themes of the prevention of occupational infectious risk, biomechanical overload of the musculoskeletal system and work-related psychosocial factors are specifically discussed in the papers collected

ANOSMIA AFTER EXPOSURE TO A PYRETHRIN-BASED INSECTICIDE: A CASE REPORT

We present the case of a subject developing anosmia, preceded by nasal transient irritation and short lasting phantosmia and torqosmia, upon re-entrance into a room treated with a pyrethrins-based insecticide. The concentration of the insecticide in the room is unknown, but relatively high levels are predicted basing upon the modality of exposure and by the irritation symptoms in the subject. Despite corticosteroids therapy, anosmia has persisted unmodified for more than three years; according to, and based on evidence in the literature on olfactory disturbance prognosis, anosmia in this patient is likely to be permanent. The significance of this case report is related to the current wide use of insecticides containing pyrethrin and pyrethroids and highlights the need for more adequate attention to lowering airborne concentrations of pyrethrins and pyrethroids prior to re-entering the treated rooms. In particular, in a closed space sprayed with pyrethrins and pyrethroids insecticide, any irritant symptoms and/or dysosmia should be immediately considered relevant warning signs, and must be avoided