Dr. Umberto Schiavo, occupational doctor who works in Veneto, highlights the current situation and the responsibilities to which the owners of the companies are called
Nowadays several accidents, even fatal ones, are recorded in the workplaces in Italy. Almost daily, we read about the so-called white deaths, despite the safety regulations that have become more and more stringent over the years. Even with this greater attention, the issue remains very important: according to the latest data provided by Istat, there are more than 4 serious accidents a day, mostly even fatal. It is a real national scourge that affects all regions, mostly affecting the more industrialized and inhabited areas, in particular those of the North. However, there are still some sectors that are more affected than others: the construction sector (that has been developing strongly in recent months by virtue of the subsidies of the 110% super bonus) or the manufacturing one.
We talked about these topics with Dr. Umberto Schiavo, occupational doctor according to Article 38 of Legislative Decree 81/2008. Dr. Schiavo, who is also a surgeon specializing in hygiene and preventive medicine, runs an office in Piazzola sul Brenta (Padua) and works in Veneto, one of the Italian regions, together with Lombardy, with the highest numbers of accidents at work.
Doctor Schiavo, what are the protective devices?
“They are tools that have the purpose of protecting the worker. They are said to be individual when they protect a single person and collective when they are designed for all operators. An example of the latter can be represented by scaffolding or protective nets.”
How can we divide these devices?
“PPE are different according to the type of work performed. Obviously, an employee cannot use the same devices of a wood craftsman. They must always be homologated and have a valid European Community certification. Periodically, these devices must be replaced due to use or checked by a specialized company. Furthermore, they must be used in the correct way otherwise they do not serve their purpose, namely to protect the worker.”
In the field of safety at work, what are the PPE?
“All protective devices, both collective and individual, are listed in the risk assessment document which is mandatory by law in all work spaces. The occupational doctor, together with the employer and the HS manager of the company draw up the document to ensure the safety and health of workers. The document also indicates which are the specific tests that the doctor, one for every company, must periodically perform to assess the general health of the operators.”
What the owner of the industry or company must do to comply with the legislation?
“The employer must provide PPE that can change according to the type of business. For example, in the workplace PPE such as protective goggles, gloves, reflective vest, anti-noise ear plugs and others should always be available in a suitable place in order to protecting those who work in the company. Unfortunately, in many workplaces are the workers themselves who have to worry about their own safety when the management does not provide them with adequate protective material. and therefore, fail to guarantee the minimum level of safety.”
From your personal experience, what is the current situation in terms of compliance with the law?
“Although these measures are mandatory, many companies and businesses do not have them completely or even partially. As the old popular saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’ but this is not always the case. Controls on the workplaces are insufficient or they’re not carried out at all. A lacky situation about safety and health for operators who are exposed to many risks every day is realized too late. Only correct and constant prevention can forestall new accidents, and not only, in the workplace.”
Dottor Umberto Schiavo, medico competente del lavoro
