[Promoting the quality of health surveillance of workers exposed to wood dust, with particular care to NPSC, in the territory of the Health Agency of Florence]. / Promozione della qualità della sorveglianza sanitaria dei lavoratori esposti a polvere di legno, con particolare riferimento ai TuNS, nel territorio di competenza della Azienda Sanitoria di Firenze.

Wood dust can cause occupational-related naso-sinusal cancer, characterized by a latency period of about 40 years. The Tuscany Cancer Registry estimates that cases of NPSC are from 20-25 per year into the Region (33% related to wood dust). These neoplasms are surgically treatable at early-stage and, for this reason, a rapid endoscopic diagnosis is considered to be reasonably useful for prognostic issues. We used a questionnaire to investigate nasal symptoms and NOSQ and SOLAR questionnaires to highlight respiratory/skins diseases, and a spirometry for each worker. Subjects with a working-age of more than 15 years, and those that were positive to the questionnaire and/or to the medical history were were referred to a specialist in otolaryngology. The prevalence of endoscopic positive findings--detected especially in subjects with a working age of more than 15 years--confirms the significance of the problem.

[Investigation on health status of silica exposed workers in "cotto Fiorentino" companies]. / Indagine sullo stato di salute degli esposti a silice nelle aziende del cotto Fiorentino.

The manufactured in "cotto" is typical of Chianti Fiorentino with about 400 employees. In 2005. the UF PISLL encountered an exposure to silica more than TLV, particularly for some tasks; were prescribed interventions of prevention and was undertaken an investigation of the occupational health status with occupational health physician. We observed 227 workers, 208 males and 19 females, with average age of 43 years and average age working of 15 years. The habit of smoking tobacco was higher than for the general population. The assessment of exposure to silica has been detected for 59 workers (mean 0.05 mg / mc); at pulmonary function testing resulted: 10 with airway obstruction and 4 airflow limitation; by 140 chest X - ray acquired 1 was interstitial pulmonary disease and 1 was bronchopneumonia. Among the diseases not related to exposure to silica, emerging 42 cases of low back pain, 28 hearing loss, 7 with hypertension. Non uniformity in health surveillance and diagnostic criteria highlights the need to cooperate between occupational doctor in public prevention and control service and qualified occupational doctor to ensure a standard of quality in the prevention of disease in exposed to silica.