Biological Hazard in the Health Care Environment: the Italian Approach

Denise Garavini , Giuseppe Fracchia and Giuliano Franco

Chair and postgraduate School of Occupational Medicine, University of Modena, Italy
Occupational Health Service – Policlinico
Corresponding author: Prof.Giuliano Franco
Largo del Pozzo, 71
41100 Modena-Italy
Tel. 059-422692
Fax 059-270866
e-mail: franco@unimo.it


Keywords:
Health care environment, biological hazard, workers’ health and safety, risk assessment, health surveillance

Abstract:
The Council Directive EEC no. 679 of 26 November 1990 with respect to biological hazard ruled out the measures to be applied both to guarantee better standard of safety and health and to protect workers from health risks in the workplace. In Italy the Directive was implemented into the decrees 626/1994 and 242/1996 (title VIII). The employer has the duty to carry out the risk assessment in order to evaluate the risk to the health and safety of workers arising from a hazard at the workplace. Whenever risk assessment reveals a risk for workers’ health and safety, employees should undergo health surveillance performed by an occupational physician. Information and training of workers should also be provided. As for the health records, any exposure, accident or incident involving biological agents have to be registered. In spite of the need to comply with legal requirements, these actions belong to a complex process which is in progress. 


Received: 17 March 1998 
Accepted: 03 August 1998 

Posted: 18 November 1998

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