OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE

Occupational medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by work related activities.
The occupational doctor has specific experience in identifying the symptoms caused by the worker’s exposure to:

• chemicals such as acids, strong or dangerous bases in general, that come in contact with various body systems, particularly the respiratory, digestive, integumentary system, and their effects on the nervous system; airborne substances of varying intrinsic toxicity, which once inhaled however, have various consequences. These substances are primarily asbestos fibres that cause asbestosis, then coal dust (rarely nowadays).
• physical agents, such as ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, of different energy levels, particularly, ultraviolet rays, X rays, gamma rays, noise, vibrations, microclimate.
• biological agents, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites.
• psychosocial risk factors, such as work-related stress.

Every company or employer after carrying out a Risk Assessment form as provided for by Legislative Decree 81/08 (the so-called "Consolidated Act on Health and Safety at work”) is required to appoint a company medical officer whenever Health Surveillance is required. This role can be assumed by doctors specialised in occupational medicine and doctors authorized under Article 55 Legislative Decree 277/91 (now repealed).