Dust exposures in the wood processing industry in Northeast Italy

Over the last decade workers' health and safety have been given a growing attention and the laws issued in Italy to protect and improve both workers' health and work standards are intended to avoid, or at least contain, occupational hazards and diseases. In Northeast, the productive compartment of the secondary wood working presents many issues in term of occupational safety and health. The exposure to wood dust is one of the principal risks for workers. The timber processing sector relies on a variety of processing plants and production lines which are characterized by a high level of process automation. In spite of this, many businesses, also due to the low added value of their finished products, still make use of obsolete machines and processing lines which, while still assuring a good operation and production efficiency, are by now inadequate to comply with the new requirements in terms of workers' health and safety. The exposition of wood dust, object of this research, would contribute to the realization of a preventional model for the limitation of occupational exposure to carcinogenic agents.