PIEDMONT REGION

“Risk profiles in the productive sectors of crafts, small and medium enterprises and shops/businesses”

The Furniture Sector

ISPESL Research No. 67/98

Research No. 67/98E – “Risk profiles in the productive sectors of crafts, small and medium enterprises and shops/businesses”: Furniture makers.

The research was conducted by:

Local Health Unit No. 17

Occupational Prevention and Safety Service (S.P.S.A.L.)

Dr Santo ALFONZO – Director of S.Pre.S.A.L. - Project head – santo.alfonzo@asl17.it

Dr Raffaele CERON – Supervising Physician – raffaele.ceron@asl17.it

Dr Giuseppe CALABRETTA – Supervising Physician – giuseppe.calabretta@asl17.it

p.i. Paolo CAVALLO – paolo.cavallo@asl17.it

p.i. Corrado GAMBA – corrado.gamba@asl17.it

with the collaboration of:

Marina LAMBERTI – Administration assistant

Thanks go to all SPreSAL staff for their cooperation.

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Department of Grugliasco – Work Environments Thematic Area

Dr Marco FONTANA – Head of Thematic area – m.fontana@arpa.piemonte.it

Dr Silvia ANGIOLUCCI – s.angiolucci@arpa.piemonte.it

p.i. Cristina BERTELLO – c.bertello@arpa.piemonte.it

p.i. Paolo FORNETTI – p,fornetti@arpa.piemonte.it

Ing. Roberto RIGGIO – r.riggio@arpa.piemonte.it

p.i. Gino SANVIDO – g.sanvido@arpa.piemonte.it

With the collaboration of:

Local Health Unit No. 5

Epidemiology Super-Zone Service– sepigru@tin.it

Dr Antonella BENA

Dr Luisella GILARDI

Front cover showing: Saluzzo (panoramic view) and Monviso

February 2002

Table of Contents

1. Premessa - Preamble

1.1 Description of sector and territory

1.2 The timber industry in the ASL 17 territory

1.3 Current status of initiative

1.4 Participants

2. Presentazione dell’iniziativa alle parti sociali – Presentation of initiative to worker and employer representatives

3. Descrizione del comparto – Description of sector

3.1 Drafting and features of questionnaire

3.2 Processing of collected information

3.3 Outcomes and reliability appraisals

3.3.1 Distribution of firms by number of workers

3.3.2 Distribution of firms and workers by work type

3.3.3 Type of wood used

3.3.4 Type of machinery in use

4. Individuazione del campione di aziende – Selecting the enterprise sample

5. Definizione dei fattori di rischio - Definition of risk factors

5.1 Wood dust

5.1.1 Choice of sampling technique

5.1.2 Outcomes of monitoring

5.1.3 Examination of analytical results

5.2 Noise

5.2.1 Choice of monitoring methodology

5.2.2 Outcomes of monitoring

5.3 Machine safety

5.3.1 Choice of monitoring methodology

5.3.2 Outcomes of monitoring

6. Stima del danno – Estimating damage

6.1 Accident trends in Piedmont Region 1990/1998

6.2 Accident trends in ASL 17 territory (year 2000)

6.3 Occupational disease trends in firms answering questionnaire and in those inspected

6.4 Nasal cavity tumours

7. Proposte di soluzioni per la riduzione dei rischi all’esposizione a polveri – Suggestions for reducing dust exposure risks

7.1 Wood dust

7.1.1 General measures

7.1.2 Sanding

7.1.3 Carpentry

7.2 Noise

7.3 Occupational health and safety

7.3.1 Machine tools

7.3.2 Health-assistance measures

7.3.3 Work environments, flooring, passageways and emergency exits

7.3.4 Criminal Investigation actions carried out by S.Pre.S.A.L. inspectors

8. Conclusioni - Conclusions

9. Bibliografia - Bibliography

Attachments

1 Questionario presentato alle aziende – Questionnaire to firms

2 Tracciato record del Data Base usato per l’elaborazione dei dati – Database record tracking used to process data

3 Maschera inserimento dati tratti dal questionario – Computer data input from questionnaire

4 Distribuzione delle ditte rispondenti per classe di addetti (per gruppi di 5 e di 10 addetti) – Distribution of respondent firms by worker class (by groups of 5 and 10 workers)

5 Quantità di legname lavorato per tipologia di legno (ordine alfabetico) – Amount of timber worked by wood type (alphabetical order)

6 Scheda raccolta dati aziendali – Company data gathering sheet

7 Modulo per la registrazione dati fonometrici – Form for recording phonometric data

8 Scheda ripielogativa degli atti espletati – Sheet summarising actions performed

9 Modello di richiesta documentazione aziendale – Form requesting company documentation

1. PREAMBLE

1.1 Description of sector and territory

The project, promoted by ISPESL, had the primary aim of defining risk profiles in the productive sector of furniture makers and putting forward technical solutions capable of reducing risk. Rollout of the project had the consequent goal of quantitatively calculating exposure to wood dust, briefly assessing exposure to noise and undertaking in-depth studies of the safety profile of machines deployed in the various cycles of the furniture-making industry in order to describe related damage caused to the population of workers in the sector.

The project was adequately developed thanks to the presence within the ASL 17 territory of numerous secondary conversion woodworking firms.

It was decided right from the start of the project to extend appraisals beyond the furniture-making sector to include the producers of wooden products in general. The reason for this was that a number of firms produced a range of wood-based products (for instance furniture and doors and shutters), and also that production cycles, machine tool types and materials were basically the same for different processes.

1.2 The timber industry in the ASL 17 territory

Within the ASL 17 territory woodworking is a continuation of one of the area’s traditional activities. In the area the furniture industry has indeed been a historical presence. There have always been the so-called “botteghe d’arte” (craft shops), but also small- and medium-sized craft firms, working in practically all of the sector’s segments, including the artistic segment (engravers, restorers of antique furniture, etc.) and classical (“Piedmont Baroque”) and modern furniture production, for example solid wood, artistic, rustic furniture, fixtures and fittings for cafeterias, shops, offices, seagoing vessels, musical instruments, etc. The area boasts one of the world’s leading harp makers.

The importance of the furniture sector in the Saluzzo region is confirmed by the numerous trade fairs and cultural events held annually (National Antique Exhibition, National Exhibition of Furniture/Furnishings, Antiques and Crafts of Saluzzo). There are a total of about 250 firms working in the sector in the area, employing about 1,800 workers. There is a predominance of small-sized firms, often consisting only of the enterprise proprietor. Less than 10% of firms employ more than 20 employees.

1.3 Current status of initiative

Project work was based on the provisions of Legislative Decree 66/2000, which will come into full force on 1 January 2003. Making changes to Title VII of Legislative Decree 626/94, concerning the protection of workers exposed to carcinogenic agents, it includes among carcinogenic agents work processes entailing exposure to hardwood dust. The impact of this decree on the woodworking sector will undoubtedly be considerable. It will be necessary to keep in check the problems that will arise from implementation of the decree on the part of both firms and supervisory bodies so that suitable measures can be introduced to reduce the risk of exposure without jeopardising the solidity of enterprises operating in the sector.

1.4 Participants

AZIENDA SANITARIA LOCALE (ASL) No. 17 – Occupational Prevention and Safety Service (S.Pre.S.A.L.) Performs occupational prevention tasks within the ASL Prevention Department. Has coordinated occupational health and safety inspections and adopted, when necessary, measures or orders. Has sent and processed questionnaires and handled relations with trade associations. Responsible for research management.

ARPA Piemonte – Department of Grugliasco, Work Environments Thematic Area ARPA performs environmental protection tasks on the subject of air, water, soil and noise in outside environments. Participated in the project in the area of industrial hygiene, with inspections, samplings and measurements, assessing installations and production processes. The Work Environments Thematic Area and the Carcinogenic Agents Laboratory planned and carried out sampling of wood dust and other chemical parameters; instrumental laboratories performed relative analyses.

Servizio Sovrazonale di Epidemiologia (Super-Zone Epidemiology Service) – SSEPI ASL 5.

Epidemiology is the science studying disease risk or protection factors, their frequency, distribution and procedures for preventing their spread. It also measures the efficacy of disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation initiatives.

For the research it selected the sample of firms to be inspected.

2. PRESENTATION OF INITIATIVE TO SOCIAL PARTS

To adequately comply with the monitoring initiative in the sector, the Occupational Prevention and Safety Service of ASL 17 Saluzzo - Savigliano - Fossano organised an ad hoc preliminary meeting with entrepreneurs operating in the sector in question within the ASL 17 territory of Saluzzo, in collaboration with Confartigianato, the Association of Craftsmen of the Province of Cuneo, leading trade associations and management and labour representatives. This phase was deemed indispensable for obtaining the useful cooperation of firms in both the preliminary, cognitive phase of the project and subsequent phases, including access to a pre-selected sample of firms.

During the meeting, held in Saluzzo, the project’s actors were introduced, with a brief illustration of the institutional duties of ISPESL, ASL Occupational Prevention and Safety Services, the ARPA Super-Zone Chemical Laboratory of Grugliasco entrusted with the task of measuring environmental dust and other physical-chemical parameters measured in the study, and the Super-Zone Epidemiology Service (SSEPI) for the Grugliasco area.

There followed an illustration of the general aims, purposes and main phases of the planned study, stressing the need to obtain as much cooperation as possible from firms, especially in the initial phase of the project, entailing the gathering of data directly from firms.

On this point the content of a specially drafted cognitive questionnaire was illustrated. This questionnaire (attached hereto), designed to identify the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the furniture-making industry within the ASL 17 territory and estimate exposure to risks, was subsequently sent to individual firms.

There was also an illustration of the close ties between the reasons behind the project and legislative changes affecting the sector, such as the coming into force on 1/1/2003 of wood dust threshold values established by Legislative Decree 66/2000 and the classification of hardwood dust as carcinogenic agents, and of the major implications this will have on the organisation of occupational health and safety for single firms, in particular the considerable additional expenses that will have to be borne by enterprise owners.

The meeting also served to stress the importance of study results for entrepreneurs operating in the sector in terms of prevention measures to be adopted in the short and medium run based on proposed solutions to the problems encountered.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SECTOR

3.1 DRAFTING AND FEATURES OF QUESTIONNAIRE

Attachment 1 shows the questionnaire that was sent by mail, after the informative meeting, to firms operating in the sector within the ASL 17 territory, identified from existing data in the Service’s records and from a comparison of these records with databases supplied to the Service by interviewed trade associations.

The questionnaire was agreed upon beforehand in ad hoc meetings between representatives of SPRESAL, ARPA Super-Zone Chemical Laboratory and the Super-Zone Epidemiology Service. This tool had to satisfy certain requirements, such as its use as for scientific purposes in subsequent project phases and its being acceptable to firms, and in particular easy to compile. In introducing the questionnaire sent out, the predominantly cognitive nature of the tool was highlighted.

The questionnaire was divided into three main groups of information requested from firms:

1) Data on the firm, such as name, details of the corporate figures specified in Legislative Decree 626/94 and the size of the firm.

2) Data on the production cycle, asking for:

§ surface area in sq.m of the production plant;

§ the firm’s main finished products

§ main processes of the production cycle. In order to standardise subsequent data processing, it was decided to propose a short list of processes, including those of greatest significance to the study (risk of exposure to airborne particles and risk of accidents); when a firm indicated a different work process, this was added to the main categories proposed on the list (e.g. plane worker = sawing; sanding worker = finishing). Information on the number of workers for each type of work processing was requested. If the firm had undertaken independent environmental monitoring it was asked to specify the year of monitoring.

§ Type of wood used: firms were asked to indicate the total yearly amount of timber used, broken down by wood type. This information was deemed useful for distinguishing in the sample between “hard” and “non-hard” woods in light of the recommendations of attachment VIII of Legislative Decree 626/94, amended by Legislative Decree 66/2000, with note (1) stating that a list of hardwood types appears in volume 62 of IARC monographs.

§ Other substances used (auxiliary substances, paints, components, etc.), indicating yearly consumption and supplier.

3) Data on production plants, including the type of machinery present in the firm, indicating figures for each machine type, year of manufacture and CE marking on single machines, as well as the presence of painting facilities, whether they are manual or automated, and with or without extraction systems prior to atmospheric emission.

3.2 PROCESSING OF COLLECTED INFORMATION

Data from questionnaires returned to the Service after having been compiled by firms were processed using an ad hoc computer application developed for the Microsoft ACCESS^© environment. The record of data tables is shown in attachment 2.

Comparing tables according to the criteria and procedure of the relational database, the data input interface was created, consisting of the master items Name and General data, as per attachment 3, showing an empty record. In view of the complexity of data and the need to relate specific items to more general categories (e.g. paint types, etc.), special care was taken over the selection and training of the data input operator.

Collected data were processed to identify the essential traits, for the purposes of the study, of the available population of firms.

In greater detail, the following reports were defined:

Name and general data, giving the firm’s name, address, telephone number, number of workers, business purpose and documented appointment of the workers’ safety representative.

Firms by number of workers, in which respondents are listed by the total number of workers employed.

Firms by worker class: firms were broken down, in two reports (see attachment 4) by worker class (5 and 10 worker classes respectively), giving for each class the total number of workers, the percentage of workers in the class vis-à-vis the total number of workers of the population of firms surveyed, and in the same way the number of firms in the class and the percentage of firms in the class vis-à-vis the total number of firms.

Firms by work process: Firms were broken down by type of work process. Workers were also grouped together by job type, as indicated by the firm in the section main work processes of the production cycle of the questionnaire, allowing a rough estimate of the main risk type for the population of workers surveyed.

Firms by timber type: listed were the types of timber indicated by firms in relation to the amounts used; for each type of timber firms were listed in descending order with reference to the yearly amounts used. Quantities were unavailable for some types, with the firm declaring their use but not specifying actual amounts. For each type of timber the total yearly amount in m³ used by all firms was calculated, in addition to their percentages vis-à-vis all timber types. When the firm gave values in tons, the amount was converted into m3 according to the specific gravity of the timber (attachment 5).

Type of machinery: the most common types of machinery were listed, indicating how many had been granted CE marking.

Amount of timber processed and surface area of the production unit in relation to the number of workers: the report was designed to define the distribution of firms according to potential exposure to risk factors, including the concentration of workers in work areas.

These data were used to give an approximate definition of the production of the sample of firms answering the questionnaire and to identify and standardise the subsequent sample of firms where cognitive inspections would be carried out, including analytical measurements of airborne particles and other risk factors.
3.3 OUTCOMES AND RELIABILITY APPRAISALS

The self-compiled questionnaire given out to firms had the aims of acquiring data in order to prepare the subsequent smaller sample of firms for on-site inspections and of obtaining a general description of the sector’s structure/set-up. While the choice of relying on firms to directly provide data may suffer from obvious methodological shortcomings, the results obtained showed that such a method can be a flexible and effective instrument for acquiring a preliminary knowledge of the sector and for the programming of more specific actions.

Results obtained from the above reports are illustrated in the attachments, excluding the names of firms involved.

Below are some observations regarding the main points to emerge.

3.3.1 Distribution of firms by number of workers.

The total number of respondent firms was 153, with a declared number of workers of 1,368.

Of the 153 firms only 18 (11.8% of the total) employed more than 20 employees, with production type given in the table below:

Table 3.1 – Firms employing more than 20 workers

[Firms employing more than 20 workers

Number of workers

Purpose of production

Furniture

Harps

Coffins

Internal doors

Internal doors

Internal doors

External doors and shutters

Coffins

Wooden carpentry

External doors and shutters

Furniture

Internal doors

Furniture

Furniture

Pallets

External doors and shutters

Furniture

Furniture ]

As can be seen, activities centred chiefly on the production of furniture and shutters and frames, but there were also particular activities (production of harps and coffins), reflecting the traditions of some geographic areas (Valle Varaita) in the Saluzzo region, characterised by a high degree of productive quality and specialisation.

Looking at the distribution of workers, it appeared that the majority of firms had a small number of employees (62.7% had fewer than 5 workers and 74.5% fewer than 10). On the other hand, in firms employing fewer than 5 workers 13.2% of workmen were employed. This figure rose to 21.6% for firms employing fewer than 10 workers.

Firms employing more than 20 workers (11.8% of the total, as already mentioned) employed 771 out of the total of 1,368 workers (56.4%).

On the one hand, these figures reflect the particular type of work performed in the Saluzzo area (chiefly small and medium enterprises with specific tendency towards craft-based and artistic production). On the other, they highlight the importance of extending actions in the sector to larger enterprises in an attempt to balance resources available to the Service with the scope of results that can be obtained in terms of prevention, involving, with relatively few actions, over 50% of the sector’s workers.

3.3.2 Distribution of firms and workers by work type.

Graph 3.1 illustrates the distribution of production typologies for firms answering the questionnaire.

As can be seen, the most common type of production was that of furniture making (44.4%), followed by the making of other articles (e.g. carpentry products, pallets, fruit crates, coffins, musical instruments, etc.), which accounted for 32% of total production. Producers of doors, windows and shutters made up 23.5% of the firms replying to the questionnaire.

Graph 3.1 – firms by production type

[firms broken down by production type

Furniture / Other items / External doors and shutters /Internal doors]

With regard to the distribution of the workforce in the sector, table 3.2 and graph 3.2 show that most workers had jobs entailing the use of machines or machine tools. Bearing in mind the limits of questionnaire self-compilation, only 12.7% of workers were deemed to be exposed to chemical airborne particles (paints). Here one must exercise due caution however, considering that without an on-site inspection the physical separation between workers performing different tasks is not known, and also that mechanical-based work processes (e.g. sanding on already painted surfaces) may expose workers to the inhalation of particulate containing chemical substances.

Table 3.2 – Number of workers by work process

[Work process

workers per process on regular and non-regular basis

Assembly

Finishing

Gluing

Sawing

Painting (unspecified)

Water and solvent painting (both)

Other

Packaging, shipping

Only water painting

Upholstery

Peeling

TOTAL ]

Graph 3.2 – Number of workers by work process

[Work process

workers per process on regular and non-regular basis

Assembly

Finishing

Gluing

Sawing

Painting (unspecified)

Water and solvent painting (both)

Other

Packaging, shipping

Only water painting

Upholstery

Peeling

TOTAL ]

While it is possible for a worker to perform a number of jobs, the total number of workers in the report firms by work process (on which the table is based) is lower than the total number of workers in the report firms by worker class (the basis for data described in the previous paragraph), since the total number of workers in firms could also include workers doing jobs not pertinent to the study (office workers, transport workers, etc).

3.3.3 Type of wood used

Attachment 5 summarises the report on the yearly quantity, in m³, of all timber used by firms replying to the questionnaire, broken down by wood type, without mentioning the actual names of firms.

This report shows that the most common timbers were of a non-exotic type, with over 1,000 m3 of conifers or angiosperms (“softwoods” as per the cited IARC Monograph 162) and broad-leaf or gymnosperms (“hardwoods” of the IARC Monograph) processed. Poplar and fir wood were by far the most commonly used.

On the other hand it was seen that exotic woods were less commonly used (less than 500 m3/year, with the exception of Ayous and Mahogany).

Table 3.3 – timber type per cubic metres processed annually by all firms.

[Wood type

m3 worked per year

Wood type

m3 worked per year

Poplar – Fir – Untreated and coated chipboard – Beech – Laminwood – Larch – Oak – Plywood – Walnut – Douglas – Pine – Chestnut – Cherry – Lamellar – Ayous – Mahogany – Ash – Lime – Mixed – Bahia abura – Eucalyptus – Toulipier – Cedar – Maple – Ontano – Western redalder – Sapgum – Hemplok – Faesite – Samba – Iroko – Meranti – Niangon – Sipo – Teak – Afrormosia – Resinous logs – Ehlok – Ebiara – Satiné ]

Graph 3.3 – Timber used in amounts above 1,000 cubic metres/year

[most commonly used timber

Poplar – Fir – Untreated and coated chipboard – Beech – Laminwood – Larch – Oak – Plywood – Walnut – Douglas – Pine – Chestnut – Cherry ]

With regard to the carcinogenic nature of wood types used, we should recall what was stated in the initial section of the cited IARC monograph (p. 36): “Most species are deciduous trees or hardwoods and only about 800 species are coniferous or softwoods…The terms ‘hardwood’ and ‘softwood’ refer to the species of tree and not necessarily to the hardness of the wood”. Table 2 of the IARC monograph should not accordingly be considered as a distinction between hardwoods and non-hardwoods in technological terms, but as a distinction between coniferous and broad-leaved trees as per the terms of the monograph, even though broad-leaved plants are generally denser than conifers.

It is therefore believed that due caution should be exercised when using this table to classify hardwoods as carcinogenic agents, in accordance with attachment VIII, point 5 of Legislative Decree 626/94.

3.3.4 Type of machinery in use

Table 3.5 shows the machinery that firms have declared they use, broken down by those endowed with CE marking and those without.

The most common tools are saws (band and circular), planers (surface and thickness), shapers, sanders and shearers, in accordance with the already mentioned type of production in the geographic area where the study was conducted.

Considering, as shown in table 3.4, the difference between CE and non-CE marking for the 10 types of most common machinery (values above 50), it can be seen that non-EC machines are more numerous in all cases, and in 7 out of 10 cases non-CE machines are more than twice the number of CE-marked machines.

It should be mentioned that firms did not specify whether CE marking was present for all machines, although the percentage did not appear to be high (about 12%).

With regard to the year of manufacture of machines, we should stress that it is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the age of the machine population, since not enough replies to the specific question in the questionnaire were received.

Table 3.4 – Distribution of CE marking for the most common types of machinery used in firms replying to the questionnaire

description type of machinery	number of machines	CE marked	non-CE marked	non-CE/CE ratio
Band-saw	193	52	118	2,3
Polisher or sander	163	51	90	1,8
Shaper	147	36	91	2,5
Surface planer	126	25	82	3,3
Circular saw	123	30	78	2,6
Shearer	109	44	53	1,2
Thickness planer	96	22	59	2,7
Tenoner	66	13	45	3,5
Press	61	12	36	3,0
Moulding-plane	54	21	26	1,2

Table 3.5 – Number of machines declared by firms (total, CE-marked, non-CE marked)

[Description type of machinery / No. of machines / CE marked / non-CE marked

Band-saw

Polisher or sander

Shaper

Surface planer

Circular saw

Shearer

Thickness planer

Tenoner

Press

Moulding-plane

Multi-blade

Other small tools: chisel, etc.

Guns

Squares

Crosscut saw

Press

Pantograph

Puncher

Mortise

Power drill

Mortise

Stacker

Grader

Compressor

Slot cutter

Strapper

Panel saw

Trolleys

Sawdust extractor

Assembly lines

Boring and inserting machine

Combine

Complete extraction system

Painting booth

Painting line

Automated line

Barker

Lathes

Peelers

Flanging machines

Polishers]

4. SELECTION OF THE SAMPLE OF FIRMS

As already mentioned, there emerged from the examination of questionnaires received from firms a moderate number of firms that, while not belonging exclusively to the furniture making sector, had as their business purpose the processing of wood. These included a large number of producers of fixtures, shutters, windows and internal doors. The machinery used by furniture makers and producers of doors and windows is moreover practically identical. In the latter case there is a greater use of automated machinery handling different processes (usually cutting and milling), but the technology is similar.

As described above, the questionnaire was compiled by:

68 furniture makers

23 producers of doors and windows

13 producers of internal doors

49 producers of other articles (including wooden items, pallets, fruit crates, coffins, musical instruments).

In view of the fact that furniture makers constitute less than 50% of firms working in the wood industry and that processes for making other articles are similar to those of furniture makers, it was thus decided to extend the survey assessing exposure to wood dust to the entire sector.

The questionnaires did not show up significant differences as to the types of wood used: we may generally state that every firm uses a variety of woods: hardwoods, softwoods, chipboard, MDF. It is therefore impossible to limit exposure to hardwood dust alone; the processed material was thus excluded from criteria for choosing firms for the inspection.

A total of 21 firms were selected from those responding to the questionnaire in accordance with the following criteria:

· number of workers: 4 classes were defined:

· fewer than 5 workers: 4 firms

· 5 to 10 workers: 4 firms

· 10 to 20 workers: 4 firms

· more than 20 workers: 4 firms

· type of production: for each class of workers firms producing furniture, doors and windows and other articles were selected in proportion to their weight in the class

· random selection: a total of 4 firms were selected at random from those that did not reply to the questionnaire but were present in the territory according to available service records.

· Finally a producer of musical instruments was deliberately included among firms to be monitored because of the special nature of the work and the large number of workers involved (78 in all).

It may thus be stated that the sample of firms selected represents sufficiently clearly the reality of the sector within the A.S.L. 17 territory, and that results would provide a picture of a more widespread situation.

5. DEFINITION OF RISK FACTORS

There are many potential risks to which workers are exposed in the timber industry. When defining risk profiles it was decided to analyse in depth some aspects that we believe take priority.

Exposure to wood dust and carcinogenic agents

The plan for the monitoring of possible chemical agents present in the workplace was basically concerned with wood dust. This choice was dictated by some criteria:

· The aforementioned recent changes to title VII of Legislative Decree 626/94, introducing new issues to be handled by firms operating in the sector;

· The lack of data on exposure to wood dust in joineries;

· The need for an in-depth evaluation of the “status quo” prior to the coming into effect of the occupational exposure threshold.

Firms in the timber industry also use other substances that may constitute a chemical risk factor, paints in particular. This aspect was not however taken into consideration for a number of reasons:

· painting is not a widely used process in the sector (see table 3.2 above); numerous firms employ external painters. because of the difficult environmental management of a spray/painting unit, there appears to be a rise in the recourse to third-party enterprises;

· the production of doors and shutters now involves practically exclusively water-based paints due to the excellent degree of protection against atmospheric agents. With regard to furniture making, although the use of solvent-based paints is still prevalent (owing to best aesthetic results), some firms are introducing water-based paints, with satisfactory results. It is believed that this trend will intensify in coming years;

· numerous studies have been conducted on painter exposure, and it is believed that these studies can be applied directly to the timber industry; furthermore, technical solutions to protect workers are firmly established.

Noise

In monitored firms phonometric measurements were effected to quantify the degree of equivalent exposure inside production units. Special care was taken over the examination of evaluations set forth in Legislative Decree 277/91 in terms of the adequacy of documentation and carrying out of compulsory controls.

Machine safety

In the sector under review, machines continue unfortunately to be a major cause of accidents, as will be seen below. A considerable part of the work was thus devoted to carefully analysing the machines installed in firms with reference to:

· Compliance with legislation hereto in force (Presidential Decree 547/55)

· Compliance with existing legislation (Presidential Decree 459/96)

· Presence of necessary protection and emergency devices

· Compliance with machinery directive for machines with CE marking

Work environments

Firms were examined with reference to compliance with law provisions, in terms of the suitability of work areas, health-sanitary facilities, passageways and all related aspects.

Other risks were not examined in detail, such as musculo-skeletal pathologies, the risk of accidents due to activities performed outside production units (e.g. when assembling products), and risks not specifically related to the timber sector (e.g. handling of loads, use of forklift trucks, etc.). Although awareness of these risks is on the rise, it is believed that the risk factors examined are the prevalent ones at this moment in time.

5.1 WOOD DUST

5.1.1 Choice of sampling technique

Legislative Decree 66/2000 set a threshold for occupational exposure to wood dust. While not referring explicitly to any technical norms/standards, this threshold is actually referred to as the inhalable fraction.

Standard UNI EN 481 defines the inhalable fraction as “the mass fraction of total airborne particles which is inhaled through the nose and mouth”.

Sampling of the inhalable fraction must conform to the following convention: the percentage Ei of airborne particles of an aerodynamic diameter D (in micrometres) that must be collected is given by the formula

Ei =50 [1+exp(-0.06D)] (1)

The inhalable fraction depends on air movement (speed and direction), breathing frequency and entry (nose, mouth). The convention usually underestimates the inhalable fraction of larger particles for an individual pointing mainly in the direction of the wind, especially for speeds greater than 4 m/s (wind speed measured during samplings always gave lower values).

The curve described by equation (1) establishes that 50% of particles having an aerodynamic diameter of 100 µm be sampled.

In the case of wood dust it is necessary to consider the particular morphology of particles: they consist of fibres that bear no real relation to spheres, whose aerodynamic behaviour is considered different from that of particles of airborne particulate matter. It appears from research conducted on existing literature that studies have been conducted on the aerodynamic behaviour of wood fibres.

A number of recent studies recommend as a suitable sampling system the “IOM” sampler, consisting of a pre-mounted filter cassette that is weighed together with the filter.

Traditional filter holders with cone-shaped jacket, normally used for personal and environmental samplings, appear to underestimate concentrations up to 20-30%.

For the present study however IOM samplers were unavailable, and the service had to make do with traditional dust-collection systems. In a preliminary phase, therefore, the various systems available to us were compared.

44 samples were taken for this purpose in three production units, using different collection systems:

Comparisons were also made of concentrations relative to the inhalable fraction and the respirable fraction (using a nylon cyclone).

Environmental samplings were taken in positions relatively distant from machines in order to minimise concentration differences caused by the position of filters. Samplings took about four hours to complete, but in some positions sampling took less time.

It is stressed that as samples were environmental and performed to compare different sampling methodologies, the results may only partly be viewed as indicative of occupational exposure.

Contradictory data emerged from the results of respirable fraction sampling, since the concentration deposited on the filter was very low. It is felt however that for the monitoring of exposure to wood dust the fraction to be considered most is the inhalable fraction, indicating a carcinogenic agent for the upper respiratory passages. This monitoring also set out to make comparisons with the threshold introduced by Legislative Decree 66/2000, which refers to the inhalable fraction.

In light of the results of preliminary sampling, it was decided to adopt the “closed face” sampling system with the cone-shaped jacket filter holder, which guarantees an incoming air speed of approximately 1.15 m/s with a flow rate of 3 l/min. This choice was in line with that made by other control bodies and used the most common sampling system used by both public bodies and private laboratories.

The traditional gravimetric analysis methods (NIOSH 0500) was used.

During the course of the study IOM samplers were acquired from ARPA Piemonte. These samplers were not however used for any monitoring so as not to modify sampling conditions and to ensure uniform statistical appraisals. Some parallel monitoring was however undertaken, with both the “closed face” and IOM filter holders. The results obtained do not justify significant considerations in view of the small number of samples compared (six in all). It is however possible to observe that although the IOM sampler has undoubted advantages in terms of the lesser handling of the filter, it is more difficult to attain a constant weight, probably because of the greater surface area exposed to air. Use of the IOM sampler thus appears to be slightly more complex.

In-depth studies are ongoing to assess the functioning of the IOM sampler, in a number of operative situations in order to compare measurements taken with the “closed face” and IOM samplers, and procedures for the correct conditioning of the IOM are being drawn up. This activity does not form part of the ISPESL research project.

No significant differences were observed between three-hour samples and samples taken over less time (up to 90 minutes). The amount of dust depositing on the filter must of course be sufficient to be weighed with minimum analytical error. On the other hand, samples lasting three hours in work areas where there was a high concentration of dust (sanding in particular) gave an excess amount of particles, making the filter hard to handle. It was therefore decided to set a sampling time of about two and a half hours in uniform work positions characteristic of conditions of the entire working shift.

It should be recalled that in smaller firms workers are involved not only in production but also in delivery and assembly activities. In some firms exposure is thus for less than 40 hours/week.

During the monitoring of wood dust due consideration was taken of the type of work process being performed and the tasks assigned to workers. As most firms undertook craft-based production, it was not possible to pre-establish sampling stations, but an attempt was made to collect samples from all work phases making up the inspected production cycles.

All the firms surveyed worked woods classified as “hardwoods” or composite materials (chipboard, MDF wood); in some cases “softwoods” were worked at the same time, generating mixed types of exposure. The prevalence of hardwoods is closely tied up with the type of products made in the sector, the main article being furniture of value.

5.1.2 Outcomes of monitoring

For the purposes of examining results, the work cycle of timber firms was broken down into three main phases:

1) Preparation of pieces: boards are cut (usually with band-saw), planed, sawn to measure (using circular saw) and worked using sundry machinery (shapers, miller, plane, tenoner, etc.). Strips of wood may be glued, normally using vinyl glues, to prepare panels. We have called this phase of the cycle carpentry.

2) Finish and assembly: pieces are sanded by hand or using honing machines and then assembled. Some types of production require a calibration operation, i.e. honing to remove material until a pre-determined measurement is obtained. We have called this phase of the cycle sanding.

3) Painting: In firms doing their own painting operations, there are intermediate sanding operations between the application of different coats of paint. It is believed that the dust produced in this phase should not be viewed as wood dust, since the material produced is the residue of the surface polymer. We have called this phase of the cycle painting.

Tables appearing on the pages below show the results of monitoring.

Tab. 5.1-Results of monitoring

FIRM	FIELD NO.	TYPE (E/P)	CONCENTRATION (mg/m^3)	WORK PHASE
Firm 1	1	P	1.43	Carpentry
Firm 1	2	E	0.48	Carpentry
Firm 1	3	P	1.41	Carpentry
Firm 1	4	P	1.49	Carpentry
Firm 2	1	E	1.34	Sanding
Firm 2	2	P	10.19	Sanding
Firm 2	3	P	4.71	Sanding
Firm 2	4	P	2.87	Sanding
Firm 2	5	P	4.37	Carpentry
Firm 3	1	P	3.48	Sanding
Firm 3	2	E	0.22	Sanding
Firm 3	3	P	14.16	Sanding
Firm 3	4	P	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 3	5	E	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 3	6	P	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 3	7	P	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 3	8	P	0.63	Carpentry
Firm 3	9	P	11.49	Painting
Firm 3	10	P	20.63	Painting
Firm 4	1	P	<0.27	Sanding
Firm 4	3	P	17.59	Painting
Firm 4	4	P	1.34	Carpentry
Firm 4	5	P	1.18	Sanding
Firm 4	6	P	13.10	Sanding
Firm 5	1	E	1.49	Carpentry
Firm 5	2	P	2.74	Sanding
Firm 5	3	P	1.90	Carpentry
Firm 5	4	P	2.57	Painting
Firm 5	5	P	5.33	Carpentry
Firm 6	1	E	0.80	Carpentry
Firm 6	2	E	0.82	Sanding
Firm 6	3	P	3.80	Sanding
Firm 6	4	P	1.55	Sanding
Firm 6	5	P	1.82	Carpentry
Firm 6	6	P	1.57	Carpentry
Firm 7	1	E	1.09	Carpentry
Firm 7	2	P	1.34	Carpentry
Firm 7	3	P	1.31	Carpentry
Firm 8	1	E	1.27	Carpentry
Firm 8	2	E	1.24	Sanding
Firm 8	4	P	1.20	Sanding
Firm 8	5	E	0.81	Carpentry

Tab. 5.2- Results of monitoring

FIRM	FIELD NO.	TYPE (E/P)	CONCENTRATION (mg/m^3)	WORK PHASE
Firm 9	1	E	0.43	Carpentry
Firm 9	2	E	0.65	Carpentry
Firm 9	3	P	0.73	Carpentry
Firm 9	4	P	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 9	5	P	0.27	Carpentry
Firm 10	1	P	0.41	Carpentry
Firm 10	2	P	0.40	Carpentry
Firm 10	3	E	0.19	Carpentry
Firm 11	1	E	0.38	Carpentry
Firm 11	2	E	1.34	Sanding
Firm 11	3	P	0.93	Carpentry
Firm 11	4	P	1.79	Sanding
Firm 11	5	E	1.10	Painting
Firm 11	6	P	1.53	Sanding
Firm 11	7	P	1.39	Carpentry
Firm 11	8	P	1.38	Sanding
Firm 11	9	P	5.90	Painting
Firm 12	1	E	0.97	Sanding
Firm 12	2	E	0.16	Sanding
Firm 12	3	E	0.34	Carpentry
Firm 12	4	P	0.74	Sanding
Firm 12	5	P	8.00	Sanding
Firm 12	6	P	0.73	Carpentry
Firm 12	7	P	0.57	Carpentry
Firm 12	8	P	0.38	Carpentry
Firm 12	9	P	0.39	Sanding
Firm 12	10	P	0.43	Sanding
Firm 12	11	P	7.55	Sanding
Firm 12	12	E	0.74	Sanding
Firm 13	1	P	0.77	Carpentry
Firm 13	2	P	2.48	Carpentry
Firm 13	3	E	0.81	Carpentry
Firm 13	4	E	0.67	Carpentry
Firm 13	5	E	0.77	Carpentry
Firm 14	1	P	1.37	Carpentry
Firm 14	2	E	0.45	Carpentry
Firm 15	1	E	1.42	Sanding
Firm 15	2	E	0.61	Carpentry
Firm 15	3	P	1.32	Sanding
Firm 15	4	P	2.35	Carpentry
Firm 15	5	P	3.24	Sanding
Firm 15	6	P	5.12	Painting
Firm 16	1	P	1.48	Carpentry
Firm 16	2	E	0.39	Carpentry
Firm 17	1	E	0.36	Carpentry
Firm 17	2	P	2.56	Sanding

Tab. 5.3-Results of monitoring

FIRM	FIELD NO.	TYPE (E/P)	CONCENTRATION (mg/m^3)	WORK PHASE
Firm 18	1	E	0.63	Sanding
Firm 18	2	P	1.96	Sanding
Firm 18	3	P	2.65	Carpentry
Firm 19	1	E	2.04	Carpentry
Firm 19	2	P	8.93	Carpentry
Firm 20	1	P	1.04	Carpentry
Firm 20	2	P	0.99	Sanding
Firm 20	3	P	1.04	Carpentry
Firm 20	4	P	1.08	Sanding
Firm 20	5	E	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 20	6	P	0.95	Carpentry
Firm 20	7	E	0.92	Painting
Firm 21	1	E	0.52	Sanding
Firm 21	2	E	0.51	Sanding
Firm 21	3	P	0.52	Sanding
Firm 21	4	P	1.00	Sanding
Firm 21	5	P	0.51	Sanding
Firm 21	6	P	0.50	Sanding
Firm 21	7	P	0.52	Painting
Firm 21	8	E	0.56	Sanding
Firm 21	9	E	0.52	Carpentry
Firm 21	10	E	0.53	Carpentry
Firm 21	11	P	0.53	Carpentry
Firm 21	12	P	0.53	Carpentry
Firm 22	1	E	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 22	3	E	0.36	Sanding
Firm 22	5	E	0.18	Sanding
Firm 22	7	E	0.18	Carpentry
Firm 22	9	E	0.28	Carpentry
Firm 22	11	E	0.31	Carpentry
Firm 22	12	E	0.65	Sanding
Firm 22	13	E	0.36	Carpentry
Firm 22	1	E	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 22	3	E	0.77	Carpentry
Firm 22	5	E	<0.27	Carpentry
Firm 22	7	E	0.63	Carpentry
Firm 22	9	E	0.86	Carpentry
Firm 22	11	E	1.77	Carpentry
Firm 22	12	E	1.22	Carpentry
Firm 23	1	E	0.70	Carpentry
Firm 23	5	E	0.74	Carpentry
Firm 23	10	E	0.99	Carpentry
Firm 23	11	E	2.24	Carpentry
Firm 23	15	E	2.21	Sanding
Firm 23	1	E	0.71	Carpentry
Firm 23	6	E	0.93	Carpentry

5.1.3. Examination of analytical results

The tables given in the pages above give raw data on samplings taken. A total of 134 samples were taken, of which 60 environmental and 74 personal samples. Four samples were disregarded. Samples for which the concentration was below sensitivity limits were considered for statistical purposes as on the limit.

An initial brief evaluation is concerned with the legal threshold of 5 mg/m³: 12 personal samples (16.2% of personal samples) exceeded the legal limit. Breaking down samples into concentration classes, the occurrence percentage is shown in the following table and graph:

Tab. 5.4

[tab. 5.4

Environmental / Personal

Class / No. from

Total

Graph 5.5

values / Sample class

% event

Environmental / Personal

The following threshold values were used for the classes:

- the ACGIH TLV-TWA for hardwood dust (1 mg/m³);

- 2 mg/m³, present in two studies:

· this is proposed by the “Department of Health Task Force, Emilia Romagna Region, subgroup Hardwoods” as a value for the adoption of the simplified option for assessing compliance;

· it is indicated as a “technically attainable value” capable of protecting against the reduction of nasociliary clearance (2 mg/mc), by A. Innocenti.

- the threshold indicated in Legislative Decree 66/2000 (5 mg/m³).

The graph shows that personal exposure is generally higher than environmental exposure, probably a sign that dust deposits quickly in the work area.

The comparison with the TLV-TWA is a cause for concern: only 36.5% of personal samples had a lower concentration, and more than 20% of environmental samples were higher.

As already mentioned, the production cycle can be broken down into the three main phases of carpentry, honing and sanding after the painting phase (defined as “painting” in the tables and graphs). It is possible to analyse mean, minimum and maximum values and standard deviations for each work process. Greater detail (for instance exposure for the operators of specific machines) would be inappropriate for evaluation purposes, since the same person performs numerous work tasks during a single shift. For the same reason it is difficult to obtain greater detail when assessing results.

The table and graph below summarise results obtained.

Tab. 5.6

[Carpentry / Sanding / Painting / Total

E / P / Tot

number

Average

Maximum

Minimum

Stand.Dev. ]

Graph 5.7

[Samples for different processes – average values

concentration mg/m³

Carpentry / Sanding / Painting

Environmental samples / Personal samples ]

It can clearly be seen that the most critical processes are those involving sanding, generating dust having a diameter considerably smaller than that generated by the tools of carpentry machinery. Also, during sanding operations the operator is usually closer to the point where particles are generated than to the position adopted for machine tools.

Standard deviation values were relatively high, indicating significant differences among the firms under review.

The carpentry work phase also had mean values almost 50% higher than the TLV-TWA, with a maximum value of 8.93 mg/m³, well above legal limits. This means that all work processes are potentially a source of risk due to high exposure.

As already described, firms were selected using as criteria the number of employees and type of production. Some interesting points emerge when one analyses data on concentration vis-à-vis the number of workers and the work processes performed. These are summarised in table 5.8 and graph 5.9 (below).

The coloured lines represent the three previously identified concentration classes (1, 2, 5 mg/m³).

Statistics did not include the post-painting sanding phase because of the small number of available samples for each group (less than four).

It emerged that larger firms posted lower exposure values, with a mean value for the carpentry work phase of only 0.68 mg/m³ for personal samples and 2.75 mg/m³ for sanding.

Firms employing fewer than 5 workers posted relatively lower values, while the intermediate classes posted the highest concentrations.

It is believed that this is due to larger firms being able to invest more, and vice versa the small-scale production of smaller firms.

Tab. 5.8

[Average concentration for groups of firms

Number of workers

Sample type – Personal / Environmental

Concentration

Work phase – Carpentry / Sanding

Graph 5.9

[Distribution by group of firms

Concentration

Group /by no. employees

Sanding personal

Carpentry personal

Sanding environmental

Carpentry environmental

It is more difficult to interpret mean concentrations by product type (average for all work processes) given in the graph below:

Graph 5.10

[Concentrations by production type

Concentration

Furniture

Internal doors

Doors and shutters

Other

Environmental / Personal

It can be seen that the ratio between environmental and personal concentrations is quite variable, even though the techniques and machines used are conceptually similar regardless of the end product.

It is likely that the difference in the amount of valid data belonging to each category had a bearing on the mean value. It should be observed however that honing operations in the door and shutter industry are mostly all automated using grader machines.

Although the environmental concentration value was higher than that of the furniture industry, this fact may be explained by the high amount of worked material, the almost total absence of manual sanding helping to lower the mean value for personal samples.

With reference to this aspect, it is believed that the efficiency of extraction systems has more of a bearing on exposure than the type of product worked. The correct functioning of extraction systems is of course tied up, to a small extent, with the article being made, and is very variable in all the productive sectors examined.

In conclusion, it may be stated that:

§ measured concentration values are very high compared with the TLV-TWA of the ACGIH;

§ In a number of cases the legal limit of 5 mg/m³ is exceeded;

§ The most critical work phase is sanding, owing to the granulometry of generated particles and the position of the worker performing operations;

§ Although they generate larger particles, carpentry processes may also produce high exposure levels;

- In large-sized firms concentrations are relatively low compared with other size classes;

§ In small-sized firms too concentrations are lower than average; as already observed, workers are not always exposed for 40 hours a week, performing other tasks such as deliveries, assembly, inspections, etc.

§ No significant variations were recorded with reference to the type of product, with the exception of personal samples taken from door and shutter production, where values were lower than for other groups.

5.2 NOISE

5.2.1 Choice of monitoring methodology

During the inspection phase about 60% of firms underwent phonometric monitoring to measure the level of equivalent noise present in the production unit, observing workstations occupied by workers, working tasks, machines used; measurements were effected using ad hoc class 1 instrumentation in accordance with Standard IEC 651, with overload indicator, or using the integrating phonometer Bruel & Kjaer, model 2230, and the Bruel & Kjaer level gauge, model 2237, suitably calibrated and effected in accordance with the provisions of article 40 – sub-section 2 of Legislative Decree 277/91 – Attachment VI - CRITERIA FOR MEASURING NOISE

-

5.2.2 Outcomes of monitoring

Phonometric measurements showed that workers operating in the furniture making industry are exposed to an equivalent level of between 87 and 93 dBa, with peaks of 103.5 dBa. in the case in point workers operating traditional machine tools (rotary planer, thickness planer, shaper, tenoner, band-saw, moulding machine, etc.) proved to be exposed to higher noise levels.

Technical, organisational and procedural measures adopted by employers have however meant that personal daily exposure to noise (Lep,d) is usually between 85 and 90 dBa in the worst conditions.

It was seen that monitored firms largely complied with existing legislation in the form of paper-based documentation-certification referring to Legislative Decree 277/91 (appraisals of noise-related risk had been carried out and instrumental measurements had been repeated at least every four years, taking into account the wear and tear of machinery, technological development and the variability of work cycles).

5.3 MACHINE SAFETY

The prevention aims of the “Wood dust” Regional Project led to the S.Pre.S.A.L. adopting an approach to uncover dangerous situations caused by the structural and logistical state of machine tools used in monitored production units.

This activity showed that the machine tools inspected did not conform to existing law provisions regardless of the presence of CE marking.

5.3.1 Choice of monitoring methodology

As already mentioned, the results of the cognitive questionnaire were used to select a significant sample of 24 firms, based on the number of workers and type of production. During the research, following inspections made at these firms, inspectors from the SPreSAL of Saluzzo verified the type and technical-manufacturing characteristics of firms’ woodworking machines.

5.3.2 Outcomes of monitoring

Controls carried out at the 24 selected firms showed up a significant lack of accident prevention measures with reference to the state of machines being used in single production units. Out of the 269 checked machine tools used to work wood (both CE and non-CE marked), 53 were in breach of existing safety norms.

Of the 269 checked machine tools used to work wood 204 were non-CE marked.

[type of machine

number of machines

EC marked

non-EC marked ]

With regard to all woodworking machine tools inspected in the monitoring stage and constructed prior to the Machinery Directive – Presidential Decree 459/96, 42 of them were in breach of previously existing laws (Presidential Decree 547/55) with regard to the risk of contact with moving transmission parts and working parts and the risk of electrocution.

In the case in point the following laws were breached with reference to equipment, machinery and plants:

· Art. 26 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 41 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 47 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 52 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 55 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 68 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 72 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 267 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 374 Presidential Decree 547/55

The slide below shows a dangerous situation caused by the risk of contact with dynamic parts and the risk of workers falling from heights.

COPY OF THE TEXT OF COMPLAINT AGAINST EMPLOYER:

4. article 41 of Presidential Decree 547/55:

“…..since machine parts, despite constituting a danger for workers, had not been adequately guarded, separated or structured in such a way as to minimise the risk of accidental gripping-contact. In the case in point, semi-automated systems for the manual polishing of coffins, endowed with a system for rotating the article being worked on, there was the clear-cut risk of workers falling into the cement well located on the floor of the work area. OMISSIS”.

Inspectors acted to issue the employer with specific instructions to proceed with a feasibility study in order to reduce the risks uncovered during the inspections. The slide below gives a true picture of the changes made to the coffin-sanding plant.

COPY OF THE TEXT OF THE ORDER ISSUED TO THE EMPLOYER:

“…..since machine parts, representing a danger for workers, must be adequately guarded, separated or structured in such a way as to minimise the risk of accidental gripping-contact. In the case in point, semi-automated systems for the manual polishing of coffins, endowed with a system for rotating the item being worked on, must be built in such a way as to eradicate/reduce the risk of workers falling into the cement well. OMISSIS”

6. ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE

Health problems for workers exposed to risk factors in the workplace relate to both accidents and occupational diseases.

6.1 Accident trends in Piedmont Region 1990/1998

Inail data pertaining to accidents in the 1990s in Italy and Piedmont show that the timber industry continues be one of the sectors in which accidents occur most frequently.

The table and graph below illustrate accident trends using as a parameter the frequency index (no. of indemnified accidents/thousand workers) in different sectors in Italy and Piedmont in the period 1996-1998.

Table 6.1 - Frequency index for accidents in Italy and Piedmont in all sectors

[Tab. 6.1

Accident frequency index in Piedmont and Italy broken down by sector in period 1996-98

Sector

Accidents/1000 workers

Piedmont / Italy

Sundry - Agricultural – Chemical, plastic materials, paper, leather – Construction - Electricity, water, gas – Woodworking - Metallurgy and metalworking - Mining and mineralogy – Textiles - Transport ]

[graph 6

No. accidents/1000 workers

Production sector

Sundry - Agricultural – Chemical, plastic materials, paper, leather – Construction - Electricity, water, gas – Woodworking - Metallurgy and metalworking - Mining and mineralogy – Textiles - Transport

Accidents/1000 workers Piedmont

Accidents/1000 workers Italy ]

As can be seen, the timber industry is one of the most representative in terms of the frequency index for accidents in both Italy and Piedmont. The graph also shows that the incidence of accidents in Piedmont is below the national average. Quantitative data for the years 1990-1996 in Piedmont are illustrated in the table below:

Tab. 6.2 - Accidents in the timber industry broken down by prognosis and material agent

[Tariff item

Accidents 1990-96

Total / Permanent / Mortal

duration

no. / % / mean / median

52 woodworking

5211 Furniture and interior furnishings, sculpted, curved, inlaid and perforated wood processing

5212 Shutters and frames, packaging, chests

5221 Tiles for flooring, matchboards for coverings, frames, poles, sticks, gymnastic apparatus

5222 Skirting boards, shoe and hat forms, heels, barrels

5223 Mainly wooden musical instruments, photographic, cinematographic equipment and accessories

5224 Machines, apparatus, tools and implements for industrial or domestic use

5225 Sundry articles, artistic and decorative

5230 Wooden means of transport

5240 Finishing of wooden items

5250 Carpentry and restoration workshops

Total ]

Most accidents in the sector occur during the manufacturing of furniture, doors and shutters and during carpentry work in general, the most common jobs performed in the sector. For these activities there is a significant excess difference (++) in accidents leading to permanent invalidity vis-à-vis the total expected number of accidents on the basis of regional distribution.

6.2 Accident trends in ASL17 territory (year 2000)

The occupational prevention and safety service of A.S.L. 17 has maintained an information system for some years which, through the Casualty Departments of local Hospitals and municipal police offices, conveys to S.Pre.S.A.L. the reports of accidents occurring in the territory under our jurisdiction.

These reports, filed on computer-based media, are processed with a view to selecting cases worthy of investigation, using standard criteria and for statistical purposes.

Below is an illustration of some data on events (103 accidents recorded) reported in the year 2000 within ASL 17 of Saluzzo in the timber industry.

1)

number of accidents with reference to material agent:

[Agent / No. of accidents

Materials

Work environments

Machine tools and electrical tools

Manual equipment and tools

Other

Lifting and transport equipment ]

2)
duration of absence from work with reference to material agent

[days of prognosis broken down by agent

Machine tools and electrical tools

Work environments

Materials

Lifting and transport equipment

Manual equipment and tools

Other ]

[Comparison between agent and seat of injury in timber industry

Other / Equipment and tools / Lifting equipment / Materials /Work environments / Machine tools

Trunk / Head / Lower limbs / Upper limbs ]

3) seat of injuries with reference to material
agent

The above data show that although machine tools and electric tools are only in third place, after materials and work environments in terms of the number of accidents, they actually cause the largest number of days off work (graph days of prognosis broken down by agent; this parameter can be used to gauge the gravity of the accident).

With regard to the seat of the injury, the part of the body most affected was, as expected, the upper limbs, which were the only part of the body to be injured if one refers to accidents involving machine tools.

Further confirmation of the role of machines in the gravity of accidents comes in table 6.3, which shows the average prognosis with reference to the material agent….

Table 6.3 – Days of prognosis by material agent

[Agent / Average prognosis

Machines other than machine tools (presses, shearers, etc.)

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes

Mechanical and metal parts

Doors, gates, shutters and frames, furnishings, installations

Work and transit surfaces

Vehicles (e.g. forklift trucks, trucks, cars)

Containers, boxes, sacks, bobbins, platforms

Tools (hammer, spanner, screwdriver, trimmer

Power tools (drills, grinders, welders)

Parts not specified elsewhere

Inert solid and liquid materials: glass, paper, wood

Gases, vapours, fumes, dust

Vegetal items

Lifting equipment, material sorter (e.g.

Staircases and walkways

Fragments, wire, splinters, scraps and shavings ]

…and even more clearly in table 6.4, filtering accidents leading to absence from work for over 25 days:

Table 6.4 – Material agents in accidents for which prognosis exceeds 25 days

[table 6.4

Days of prognosis / no. of events / agent

Tools (hammer, spanner, screwdriver, trimmer

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes, slicers

Mechanical and metal parts

Doors, gates, shutters and frames, furnishings, installations

Power tools (drills, grinders, welders, screwers)

Inert solid and liquid materials: glass, paper, wood

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes, slicers

Tools (hammer, spanner, screwdriver, trimmer

Machines other than machine tools (presses, shearers, etc.)

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes, slicers

Mechanical and metal parts

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes, slicers

Vehicles (e.g. forklift trucks, trucks, cars)

Mechanical and metal parts

Machine tools, drills, saws, lathes, slicers

Work and transit surfaces ]

Vegetal items

Lifting equipment, material sorter (e.g.

Staircases and walkways

Fragments, wire, splinters, scraps and shavings ]

same content as 6.3]

6.3 Occupational disease trends in firms answering questionnaire and in those inspected

On the basis of historical data present in the records of occupational diseases of ASL 17’s occupational prevention and safety services, occupational disease reports received after 1995 for firms replying to the questionnaire and for those inspected for which SPRESAL had opened inquiries or investigations through 31/12/2001 were checked.

Results are given in the table below.

Table 6.5 – Reports of occupational diseases after 1995 in firms to which the study refers.

Firm ID	no. OD	type of OD – record no.	date of report	investigation conclusion
5	1	hypacusia	2001	Investigation ongoing
6	1	hypacusia	1998	NO
15	1	hypacusia	1998	UOD
20	2	hypacusia	1996	NO
		hypacusia	1996	UOD
21	6	hypacusia	1995	ND
		hypacusia	2001	UOD
		hypacusia	1996	UOD
		hypacusia	1996	UOD
		angioneuropathy	1996	NO
23	1	hypacusia	2001	OD
A	3	hypacusia	1995	NO
		hypacusia	1999	A
		hypacusia	2001	A
B	1	hypacusia	1998	A
C	1	hypacusia	1996	OD
D	5	hypacusia	1995	OD
		hypacusia	1995	OD
		hypacusia	1995	OD
		hypacusia	1995	OD
		hypacusia	1995	OD
E	1	hypacusia	1998	OD
F	1	hypacusia	1998	TR
G	1	hypacusia	2001	Investigation ongoing
H	1	Tumour of nasal cavity	1999	OD
I	1	Tumour of nasal cavity	1997	OD
Legend:	NO occupational disease
	UOD uncertain occupational disease
	OD occupational disease
	ND non-disease
	Filed case (no premises on which to base investigation)
	TR transmitted to another competent ASL

The firms indicated with numbers are those subjected to an on-site inspection as part of the present research; those indicated with letters are those replying to the questionnaire but not forming part of the sample selected for inspections.

As can be seen, most diseases reported (23 out of 26, 88%) were deafness-related; the other pathologies reported were one case of angioneuropathy caused by vibrating tools and two case of nasal cavity tumours. In 65% of cases inquiries identified a causal link with occupational exposure (conclusion OD or UOD).

The sample did not show up reports of other pathologies known to be diseases that might be contracted by workers exposed to risk in the furniture making industry, such as asthma or over-exertion.

It should be remembered here that reports of occupational diseases are only a partially valid indicator of actual trends in the territory because, unlike accidents, it is not always easy to recognise or identify an etiological connection with exposure in the workplace. There may thus be too many reports (owing to passing beliefs or social pressure at given times and/or in different social contexts) or too few (such as for neoplastic pathologies).

On the subject of this aspect, below are available SPRESAL ASL 17 data relating to the Observatory of active research on neoplasias of the nasal cavity throughout the Piedmont Region.

6.4 Nasal cavity tumours

It has been clearly demonstrated in numerous national and international studies on occupational epidemiology that the occurrence of nasal cavity tumours is more frequent among certain worker categories and/or former workers; wood and leather workers in particular appear to be at greater risk of contracting such diseases due to exposure to wood dust and leather powder.

Epidemiologically speaking there is still uncertainty as to the relationship between nasal cavity tumours and other types of working activity, such as metalworking (oil-based products in emulsifiers, substances present in welding fumes) textiles (leather dust, chromium used for tanning) and farming (some anti-parasite products used in the past containing arsenic).

To evaluate the extent of the phenomenon in the Piedmont Region, the regional authorities have organised active research within the regional hospital Departments of Otorhinolaryngology regarding new cases of nasal cavity tumours. This Observatory is now run by the S.Pre.S.A.L of ASL 17 of Saluzzo.

The procedure is designed to identify newly diagnosed cases of malignant tumours of the nose and paranasal sinuses and report them to Prevention Services to allow investigation into causally relevant exposure.

The Observatory is interested in cases of:

- adenocarcinoma

- carcinoma

- inverted papilloma

It is therefore necessary to await histological diagnosis before including the case in the study and proceeding with an interview.

Below is some information on the Observatory’s activity in the years 1999–2000:

Table 6.6 – cases of nasal cavity tumours recorded in Piedmont in 1999-2000

[Summary nasal-sinus tumour cases – year 2000

Total cases

of which

Other tumours

Outside region

Cases within jurisdiction

of which

awaiting interview

deceased

refused interview

1999

Total cases

of which

Other tumours

Outside region

Cases within jurisdiction

of which

awaiting interview

refused interview ]

The distribution of cases by the ASL to which the patient belongs, indicating average age and annual incidence per 100,000 residents is given in the following table:

Table 6.7 – Distribution by ASL, average age and annual incidence of recorded cases

[resident ASL / ASL description /No. of cases / Average age / Resident population / Rate/100,000 ]

As the following graph shows, Observatory data corroborates existing literature with regard to the advanced age at which nose sinus tumours occur (with the exception of the histological type of inverted papilloma).

Graph 6.1 – number of cases broken down by histological type and average age

[No. of cases

Average age

Adenocarcinoma

Carcinoma

Squamous carcinoma

Inverted papilloma ]

For each patient interviewed the number of working periods, productive sector of the firm in which he worked (classification according to INAIL tariff items) and mean duration of working periods was recorded. The product of the number of working periods and the mean duration was used to obtain the cumulative duration of periods for single tariff items.

Collected data were broken down by the histological type of the neoplasia:

Table 6.9 – Relationship between number and duration of working periods with INAIL activity items

[Diagnosis / Tariff item / No. of periods / Average duration of periods / Cumulative periods

ADENOCARCINOMA ]

[Graph

Number / Cumulative / Average duration ]

The graph clearly shows a peak at tariff m 5 (timber industry) for the histological type of adenocarcinomas, confirming data from other studies on this subject. For other histological types of carcinoma tariff item 5 is not prevalent. The aforementioned analysis is limited to a descriptive approach of gathered data. Controls are being completed on reported cases that will permit an estimate on the significance of highlighted correlations.

7. SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO DUST

7.1 WOOD DUST

The firms surveyed had some common traits which, it is believed, may have a bearing on exposure to wood dust. In view of the varied nature of firms examined, in terms of production, size and number of workers, it is possible to suggest not detailed technical solutions but only general guidelines for action, to be borne in mind before acting, as described below. These proposals are not to be viewed as alternatives but as complementary actions.

7.1.1 General measures

An attempt has been made to define the critical factors of plants, procedures and work organisation applicable to all firms regardless of type and size.

· Extractor units. All the firms visited are endowed with extraction systems of various types. These systems are usually channels to link up with single machine extraction units, endowed with filtration and usually discharging outside the plant (only four firms had a complete recirculation system inside the plant). Practically all firms also had small extractor units with filtration and air re-circulation/, usually serving a single machine; some considerations on recirculation systems are given below.

In almost all firms there were some machines not connected to the general extraction system, or with inadequate connections in design terms (small diameter for example, or too many piping curves). Connections were often damaged and in a state of disrepair. This neglect obviously has a significant bearing on worker exposure to dusts. It is thus necessary to make careful calculations for extractor units. Further considerations are made in point 7.1.3.

·

Extractor units with air recirculation. There are many units endowed with recirculation after filtering, which is usually performed by fabric bag filters. In this type of system it is extremely important to maintain and clean bags to keep them in a perfect state. In the firms visited maintenance shortcomings were unfortunately clear (bags incorrectly fitted or punctured, etc.), and units had not been cleaned at all.

It is believed that the use of extractor units with the internal recirculation of air should be avoided unless it is absolutely impossible to connect machines to existing units.

· Cleaning operations. Work areas are usually cleaned by the workers themselves, at least once a week for routine cleaning. Cleaning in remote zones is carried out only occasionally. The use of mechanic extraction systems is limited to larger-size firms.

We believe that problems relating to the cleaning of work areas are usually under-estimated, with little attention paid to the problem of liberating into the air dust collecting on surfaces. It is deemed necessary to use extraction-based cleaning systems only and to clean remote surfaces on a regular basis.

· Use of compressed air. Almost all inspected firms systematically use compressed air to clean items being processed, machines and often workers’ clothes. This is a well-established practice, the negative effects of which are evident in relation to exposure, and should be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, only one of the 24 firms had adopted procedures to avoid the use of compressed air, replacing it with surface dust extraction systems. Clearly there is little awareness of risks relating to the use of compressed air for cleaning purposes.

7.1.2 Sanding

Wood dust values clearly showed that sanding workers were most exposed to high dust concentrations.

The mean value of personal exposure in this phase was more than double that of carpentry work. Almost all values in excess of 5 mg/m³ were recorded in sanding stations.

Similar problems emerged with post-painting sanding. Although painted particles cannot be defined simply as “wood dust”, the particles generated by these work processes attain significant concentrations, as can be seen by the above data.

We believe that special care should be taken to reduce the amount of dust generated by honing operations: we consider this to be the most critical phase of the entire work cycle for firms in the timber industry.

Corrective measures may be based on the following:

·

Confining work processes. It was observed in numerous firms that sanding operations were performed in a number of areas in the production unit, without adequate extraction systems, and were located in accordance with production needs. Bringing together all sanding stations in one work area physically segregated from other processes would undoubtedly reduce the concentration of dust in other work settings. Such a work area would have to be endowed with general ventilation, preferably with air flowing downwards.

Dust must also be automatically removed from the floor (for instance through a grilled flooring with a thin layer of water below). The image gives an example, which can undoubtedly be improved upon, of such a solution.

Only personnel chosen to perform sanding operations must enter the work area in question; this area must not be a transit zone between different areas of the production unit.

·

Stations with extractor units. The creation of ad hoc stations endowed with lateral and upper extractor units would significantly reduce dust concentration in the immediate vicinity. In a number of firms sanding is performed in the same painting station: obviously this solution, while not designed for the specific work process in question, could lead to a reduction in exposure.

We believe that a further improvement could be made by ensuring adequate linear speed of the extraction airflow, so that the worker would not find himself between the piece being worked on and the extraction outlet.

· Workstations with extractor units. Significant reductions in concentrations were observed with the use of extractor-equipped workstations, which are practical and simple to install and manage. In one firm in particular two identical stations in terms of work process were checked (manual sanding of glass stops, personal samples), but one had an extractor-endowed workstation and the other did not. The one endowed with the extractor unit had concentration levels about 10 times lower than the unendowed station (concentration of 0.8 mg/m3 vis-à-vis approximately 8 mg/m3).

The effectiveness of the extractor-endowed workstation needs to be carefully evaluated however in view of the type of articles being manufactured, which may or may not obstruct airflows and have a bearing on extraction efficiency.

· Extractor-endowed honers. These have not yet been adopted in some firms even though they should be considered as a minimum requirement.

· Sanders. The removal of dust generated by sanders creates problems similar to those caused by machine tools, as described below. As these operations are to all intents and purposes the equivalent of sanding, it is felt that these machines should be installed in the work area set aside for sanding.

· Use of PPE. We believe that sanding operations expose workers to concentrations of dust that cannot be controlled simply by technical, organisational and procedural measures. The use of personal protective equipment for the respiratory apparatus should be compulsory.

We are unable to express an opinion on the sort of face-masks to use. The standing advisory committee for accident prevention and health in the workplace expressed an opinion some time ago recommending the use of category P2 PPE.

It should be observed that in numerous firms the PPE being used was inadequate, without CE marking and often used incorrectly.

7.1.3 Carpentry

Although values for worker exposure are relatively low for carpentry processes and dust particles are larger, some critical points emerged during inspections. If they are tackled correctly, they may help to reduce exposure.

· Cleaning of machinery. Indications already given for the cleaning of remote zones hold good here. Zones in the vicinity of machine tools generally appear to be very dirty.

·

Sizing and geometry of extractor units. A sight appraisal of installed extractor units showed up a number of cases in which extraction systems did not ensure the complete removal of particles generated by the tool.

It is believed that this is due partly to the incorrect sizing of system capacity, i.e. lesser linear speed of the flow of air flow entering the outlet of the extractor unit, and partly to the incorrect positioning of the outlet. It should be remembered on this point that the tool imparts a precise direction and high speed to particles generated during work processes.

The extraction system must accordingly be positioned as close as possible to the direction in which particles are headed, otherwise it will be very difficult to capture the particulate. The image shown here shows that the dust initially travels in the opposite direction to that of suction and settles in a zone where there is no capture even if the machine is theoretically endowed with an extractor unit.

This problem is undoubtedly affected by the age of installed machinery, a problem already discussed in relation to safety problems. Older machines were indeed completely without extraction systems, which were applied at a later stage, often using home-made or improvised solutions.

In such cases the elimination of dust cannot be optimal. The image shows one such example of adaptation.

Unfortunately in some cases if the extractor unit were positioned correctly the product could not be processed. In such cases it may be possible to use mobile systems (e.g. deflectors) that could ensure correct dust extraction and comfortable machine processing. For some types of machines it may also be useful to convey particles towards the suction unit using other mechanical means, for instance via the use of small air jets to push particles towards the extractor.

·

Design of machine. We hold the view that the manufacturers of machine tools should take into account the problem of collecting wood dust generated during work processes right from the machine design phase, with the correct positioning of vents and suction tubes. In some firms vents were positioned incorrectly even in recently constructed machines, and sometimes the piping connecting to the extraction system interfered with the operator’s movements.

We believe that special care should be taken in the design phase, in the same way as actions that have led to a significant drop in machine tool noise levels in recent years. It is also believed that the precise technical specifications should be applied to machines in relation to the extractor unit, to which it must be attached to reduce dust, in terms of capacity and/or linear speed at the flange connecting the machine to the firm’s extraction system.

· Organisational measures. The physical layout of surveyed firms often proved to lack rationality, with materials repeatedly moved from one area of the production unit to another. It is believed that the correct positioning of machines might limit the number of persons in high-exposure zones and at the same time facilitate unit cleaning operations.

·

7.2 NOISE

The outcome of risk evaluations on the subject of “noise” led employers to adopt specific measures to reduce risk deriving from exposure to noise in work environments; in greater detail:

· Confining – limiting access to workstations where Lepd exceeds 90 dBa,

· Appropriate signposting indicating the risk present in compliance with Legislative Decree 493/96,

· Workers supplied with suitable PPE for the specific physical risk in compliance with Legislative Decree 475/92,

· Health monitoring, entailing regular check-ups with audiometric examinations,

· Actions to improve workstations proving particularly harmful in terms of noise (boothing, sound-proofing, physical segregation – confining),

·

Replacement of obsolete machines and equipment with models making less noise under normal operating conditions.

7.3 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

7.3.1 Machine tools

As mentioned above, of the 269 checked machine tools used to work wood 204 were non-CE marked.

[type of machines

number of machines

non CE marked

CE marked ]

Worthy of mention here is the distribution of safety standard breaches involving CE and non-CE marked machines:

[non-CE marked machines

Up to standard

Not up to standard

CE marked machines

Up to standard

Not up to standard ]

As the graphs show, 11 CE marked machines and 42 non-CE marked machines were in breach of the provisions of Presidential Decree 547/55 and/or attachment 1 of Presidential Decree 459/96. It may be seen that the percentage of CE marked machines not conforming to law provisions is not very different from the figure for non-CE machines.

The 11 CE marked machines were reported to competent Ministries and to the Health Department for controls coming under the responsibility of ISPESL. It is believed that this fact is cause for thought and an incentive to undertake further controls.

The pages below summarise the type of CE marked machines for which irregularities were detected, indicating the type of irregularity with reference to attachment 1 of Presidential Decree 459/96.

TYPE OF MACHINE	DESCRIPTION OF IRREGULARITY	REFERENCE TO ATTACHMENT I OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 459/96
Band-saw	Risks deriving from lack of emergency button. No emergency button, interconnected with release coil – reset button	Attachment I point 1.2 paragraph 1.2.4, not endowed with emergency button.

Facing machine designed to make precision cuts on special woods 2 NON-COMPLIANT MACHINES

1. Control unit improperly structured and positioned, since the operator can operate the machine while remaining in the vicinity of the transfer zone of the trolley carrying the log to be split - (Control systems designed and constructed in such a way as to be considered unsafe and unreliable, or such as to create dangerous situations, with control units too close to the machine’s workstation). 2. Operating area not adequately protected against accidental contact with log-carrying trolley (parts transferring logs and log holder trolley not protected or segregated.

1. Attachment 1 point 1.2 paragraph 1.2.2, since the “facing machine” has its control unit incorrectly located or allows operating-switching on of the machine when the operator is in the immediate vicinity of dynamic parts. 2. Attachment 1 point 1.3 paragraph 1.3.7, since the machine has an operating zone for transfer of the log-carrying trolley, with evident risks due to moving parts.

Bundle facing- sectioning machine

risk of workers’ upper limbs making contact with working part (cutting blade). Danger due to smallness of the metal guard designed to isolate the cutting blade, consisting of a jack chain (safety distances not observed – EN - UNI 294 standards).

Attachment I paragraph 1.3.7. Prevention of risks due to moving parts. The machine’s moving parts must be designed, constructed and laid out to avoid risks or, if risks exist, be equipped with protection or protective devices to prevent any risk of contact that may cause injuries.

Board cutter – perforating machine – milling machine –dual angle bar for woodworking and related tasks.

Risks due to possible access to working parts referring to the rear of the workstation where the operator is positioned. Equipped with safety devices that only partly prevent/eliminate the risk of contact with dynamic working parts;

Attachment I paragraph 1.3.7. Prevention of risks due to moving parts. The machine’s moving parts must be designed, constructed and laid out to avoid risks or, if risks exist, be equipped with protection or protective devices to prevent any risk of contact that may cause injuries.

Multiple chuck screw driver

Risks due to possible access to working parts at the rear of the workstation where the operator is positioned. Lack of metal protection to prevent accidental contact with the dynamic working parts of the machine.

Attachment I paragraph 1.3.7. Prevention of risks due to moving parts. The machine’s moving parts must be designed, constructed and laid out to avoid risks or, if risks exist, be equipped with protection or protective devices to prevent any risk of contact that may cause injuries.

Thickness planer NO. 2 NON-COMPLIANT MACHINES

Risks due to absence of additional emergency button. Lack of additional emergency button, interconnected with release coil – reset button, to be located close to the workstation occupied by the operator.

Attachment I point 1.2 (controls) – paragraph 1.2.4 (emergency stop) – sub-section 1, not endowed with additional emergency button.

Surface planer NO. 2 NON-COMPLIANT MACHINES

Risks due to lack of emergency button. No emergency button, interconnected with release coil – reset button.

Attachment I point 1.2 (controls) – paragraph 1.2.4 (emergency stop) – sub-section 1, not endowed with additional emergency button.

“Planer-straightener” designed for planing of solid wood;	The area in which the item to be processed enters the machine is not fully isolated – protected by gate, interconnected with micro-switch; it is thus possible to trap one’s arm in the space between the gate and the edge of the metal protection. The machine’s working parts were designed to allow the access of workers’ upper limbs, or current protection does not totally prevent the possibility of contact with the machine’s working parts.	Attachment 1 point 1.3 paragraph 1.3.7, since the work area and working parts of the machine can clearly be accessed by workers’ upper limbs.

EXAMPLES OF MACHINE TOOLS CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRE-EXISTING LAWS AND AFTER INTRODUCTION OF “MACHINERY DIRECTIVE”

BAND-SAW NOT CONFORMING TO PRE-EXISTING LAW (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 547/55)	BAND-SAW BASICALLY CONFORMING TO PRE-EXISTING LAW (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 547/55)
CE-MARKED FACING MACHINE NOT CONFORMING TO EXISTING LAW PROVISIONS (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 459/96)		CE-MARKED COMBINED MACHINE TOOL CONFORMING TO EXISTING LAW PROVISIONS (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE. 459/96)

7.3.2 Health-welfare measures

With reference to health-welfare provisions observed in the monitoring phase, referring to Presidential Decree 303/56 and amendments made by art. 33 of Legislative Decree 626/94 “updates to law provisions”, inspections sometimes showed up breaches of the law, as illustrated by images given in the pages below.

In the case in point the following laws were breached with reference to equipment, machinery and plants:

· Art. 37 Presidential Decree 303/56

· Art. 39 Presidential Decree 303/56

· Art. 40 Presidential Decree . 303/56

· Art. 41 Presidential Decree 303/56

· Art. 42 Presidential Decree 303/56

· Art. 43 Presidential Decree 303/56

Space incorrectly allocated within a warehouse (without taking health and decency aspects into account) for changing rooms, without meeting minimum and essential requirements (lockers not divided into two sections to avoid contact between civil and working clothes).

The law requires the employer to supply changing rooms that are suitably furnished, separated by gender, ventilated, well lit, well protected against inclement weather, heated during the cold season and endowed with seating.

Area identified by the employer as rest-catering area, incorrectly mixed with work environments, unfurnished and without seating for temporary rest.

In the case in point there was a clear risk of being knocked down by passing self-propelled vehicles; the Supervisory Authority ordered the employer in question to equip this rest area with suitable sound buffering to give workers “audiological rest”, bearing in mind the noise levels usually present in carpentry workshops.

7.3.3 Work environments, flooring, passageways and emergency exits

With reference to work environments, flooring, passageways, emergency exits observed in the monitoring phase, referring to Presidential Decree 547/55 and the M.D. of 12/03/98, inspections sometimes showed up breaches of the law, as illustrated in the images below.

In the case in point, the following law provisions pertaining to work environments, flooring, passageways and emergency exits were not complied with:

· Art. 2 Legislative Decree 493/96

· Art. 8 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 9 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 10 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 11 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 13 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 14 Presidential Decree 547/55

· Art. 16 Presidential Decree 547/55

The slide shows the size of transit zones, the lack of flooring for evacuation routes, the lack of emergency exit signals, difficult access to the fire prevention facility, improper material storage, unsuitability of the garret (lack of solid parapet).

The slide shows the lack of a suitable safety parapet in the loft/upper storey, the lack of notices indicating the maximum load expressed in Kg/m³, the lack of flooring for evacuation routes, the obstruction of the emergency exit caused by incorrect storage.

Some of the 24 inspections carried out on furniture makers also highlighted shortcomings in terms of communication and signposting. There was inadequate posting of safety notices, codes of conduct and in-house rules, while operating areas, dynamic parts and buttons used to control some machine tools did not offer indications with regard to uses and priority functions.

AREA SET ASIDE FOR PAINTING AND DRYING OF COMPLETED ITEMS, LOCATED ON FIRST FLOOR OF PRODUCTION UNIT. Emergency exit not identified – signalling, without emergency lighting, with materials obstructing the exit, no external emergency stairs to enable workers to reach a safe place quickly.	AREA SET ASIDE FOR PAINTING AND DRYING OF COMPLETED ITEMS, LOCATED ON FIRST FLOOR OF PRODUCTION UNIT. The slide shows the state of areas outside the painting room, with the absence of emergency metal staircase to the emergency exit shown in the previous slide.

7.3.4 Criminal Investigation actions carried out by S.Pre.S.A.L. inspectors.

· 11 order reports

· 24 inspection reports

· 8 inspection and order reports

· 24 documentation request reports

· 8 notices of offences to Public Prosecutor’s Office

· 6 revisit reports for inspection and order reports

· 5 revisit reports for order reports

· 0 non-fulfilment reports

· 6 payment admission reports

· 6 grants of extension for inspection and order reports

· 2 grants of extension for order reports

· 6 payment receipts

· 11 reports to competent Ministries

· 11 reports to Health Department of Piedmont Region

· 11 reports to Public Prosecutor’s Offices of other territories

· 11 reports to other A.S.L.s

· 21 reports of photographic surveys

· 21 reports of status-workplace surveys

· 52 phonometric surveys using Bruel & Kjaer instrumentation mod. 2230

· 41 phonometric surveys – level recording using Bruel & Kjaer instrumentation mod. 2237

· 24 evaluations of company documentation (Legislative Decree 626/94 – Legislative Decree 277/91).

8. CONCLUSIONS

As already mentioned in the preamble, the timber industry is of considerable importance to the productive and social fabric of the area coming under the jurisdiction of A.S.L. 17 due to its economic and social value.

It is therefore clear that the study and prevention initiatives undertaken cannot be without their effects.

Now that the work is complete, it is believed that the following results have been achieved:

· The main risks for workers in the sector have been accurately assessed;

· Extensive prevention activity has been performed;

· Relations have been forged with trade Associations, which may in the future become a useful actor for the improvement of safety standards;

· Specific knowledge has been gained about problems faced by operators. This may be useful in the future given the growing importance of problems in the timber industry;

· We believe that the work done is a useful base for tackling similar problems in other parts of Italy;

· Finally, collaboration among different bodies and authorities has brought about a useful global approach to the sector’s various problems.

Clearly the very nature of the research implied some limits, and not all issues have been covered, but the work performed will undoubtedly have positive effects on firms operating in the timber industry in the Saluzzo area.

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

§ Arcari C.et al. – Hardwood working subgroup, Emilia Romagna Region: APPLICATIVE AND INTERPRETATIVE ASPECTS OF TITLE VII OF Legislative Decree 626/94 FOR HARDWOOD DUST Proceedings of conference prevention and protection against carcinogenic and mutagenic agents, Modena, 28 September 2001

§ Comba-P; Battista-G; Belli-S; de-Capua-B; Merler-E; Orsi-D; Rodella-S; Vindigni-C; Axelson-O. A case-control study of cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses and occupational exposure: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; Oct. 1992, Vol.22, No.4, p.511-520, 1992

§ Demers-PA; Kogevinas-M; Boffetta-P; Leclerc-A; Luce-D; Gerin-M et al; Wood Dust and Sino-Nasal Cancer: Pooled Reanalysis of Twelve Cas-Control Studies: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol 28, p 151-166, 1995

§ Ferdenzi P., Ganzi A., F.Ferri, Sala A., Poma G., Zecchi G.: Indagine sull’esposizione lavorativa a polveri nella carteggiatura del legno. Proceedings of conference prevention and protection against carcinogenic and mutagenic agents, Modena, 28 September 2001

§ Gaddoni G: Valutazione della polverosità emessa dalle macchine per la lavorazione del legno: esperienza di un laboratorio di prove. Proceedings of International Seminar “Updates on occupational neoplasias”, Siena, 19-21 October 1991. Pisa: Editrice Università Litografia Felici 1992: 233-238

§ Gerhardsson-MR; Norell-SE; Kiviranta-HJ; Ahlbom-A. Respiratory cancers in furniture workers: Br-J-Ind-Med. 1985 Jun; 42(6): 403-5

§ Hayes-RB; Gerin-M; Wood-related occupations, wood-dust exposure and sinonasal cancer: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol 28, p 151-166, 1995

§ Innocenti A, Scancarrello G, Mariano A, Tofanelli A: Difficoltà di determinazione di un adeguato standard di riferimento (TLV) per esposizione a polveri di legno. Proceedings of International Seminar “Updates on occupational neoplasias”, Siena, 19-21 October 1991. Pisa: Editrice Università Litografia Felici 1992: 225-231

§ Innocenti A.: Un “tecnicamente ottenibile” livello di riferimento per esposizioni a polveri di legno dopo il D.lgs.66/2000. La medicina del lavoro, volume 91 n.6

§ Leclerc-A; Luce-D; Demers-PA; Boffetta-P; Kogevinas-M; Belli-S; Bolm-Audorff-U; Brinton-LA; Colin-D; Comba-P; Gerin-M; Hardell-L; Hayes-RB; Magnani-C; Merler-E; Morcet-J-F; Sinonasal Cancer and Occupation. Results from the Reanalysis of Twelve Case-Control Studies: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol. 31, No. 2, pages 153-165, 1997

§ Leclerc-A; Cortes-MM; Sinonasal cancer and wood dust exposure: results from a case-control study: American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol.140, No.4, pages 340-349, 1994

§ Miscetti G., Garofani P., Bodo P., Ballerani A., Luciani G., Mazzani M., Pecetti V.: Esposizioni professionale a polveri di legno in un gruppo di falegnamerie artigiane di seconda lavorazione del legno. La medicina del lavoro 1998, volume 89 n.6

§ IARC Monographs Volume 62.

§ Legislative Decree 277 of 15 August 1991: Implementation of directives 80/1107/EEC, 82/605/EEC, 83/477/EEC, 86/188/EEC and 88/642/EEC on the subject of worker protection against risks deriving from exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents at work. Ordinary supplement to OJ 265 of 12/11/1994.

§ Legislative Decree 626 of 19 September 1994: Implementation of directives 89/391/EEC, 89/654/EEC, 89/656/EEC, 90/270/EEC, 90/394/EEC and 90/676/EEC concerning the improvement of occupational health and safety in the workplace. Ordinary supplement to OJ 265 of 12/11/1994

§ Legislative Decree 66 of 25/2/2000: Implementation of directives 97/42/EC and 1999/38/EC, amending directive 90/394/EEC on the subject of worker protection against risks deriving from exposure to carcinogenic or mutagenic agents at work. OJ 70 of 24/3/2000

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 31/01/2001 No.848-1: Safety of woodworking machines – Milling machine on single side with rotating tool – Single-shaft routers (shapers).

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 31/01/2001 No.848-2: Safety of woodworking machines – Milling machine on single side with rotating tool – Single-shaft manual and integrated feed superior milling machines.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN ISO 31/12/2000 No.11681-1: Noise – Practical suggestions for design of low-noise machinery and equipment – Planning.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 31/07/1999 No.0861: Safety of woodworking machines – Combined buzz and thickness planer

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 31/03/1999 No.859: Safety of woodworking machines – Buzz planers with manual feed.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 31/12/1998 No.860: Safety of woodworking machines – One-faced thickness planers.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 01/11/1997 No.1088: Machine safety – Lock devices associated with guards – Design and selection principles.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 30/06/1994 No.349: Machine safety – Minimum spaces to prevent crushing of body parts.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 30/06/1994 No.418: Machine safety – Emergency stop devices, functional aspects. Design principles.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 30/09/1999 No.847 – 1: Woodworking tools – Safety requirements – Cutters and circular saw blades.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN ISO 31/10/1997 No.11202: Noise. Noise emitted by machines and equipment – Measuring sound pressure levels in the workplace and in other specific positions. On-site control method.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 30/04/1997 No.1037: Machine safety – Prevention of sudden switching on.

§ Technical Standard UNI EN 28/02/1994 No.405: Equipment to protect respiratory apparatus. Anti-gas or anti-gas/anti-dust safety masks endowed with valves. Requirements, testing and marking.