title: [Criteria and modalities of assessment of work fitness for jobs in food industry].
abstract: Current legislation establishes the general methods and standards of judgement concerning fitness of workers to perform particular jobs. The object of this study was to verify particular criteria and methods that, in observance of the law, allow the physician to maintain in productive activity workers with chronic disease or permanent consequences of industrial accidents in Apulia, Southern Italy. In accordance with the law, 156 workers and their work environment are regularly under surveillance. In the last few years it was possible to accurately diagnose all diseases that may be involved in particular work fitness checks. 3 workers suffered the permanent consequences of very serious labour accidents amputation of II, III, IV fingers of the right hand; a slight post-traumatic shortening (shrinkage) of the right femur; tympanic membrane perforation). 7 workers suffered from non-work related disease (substitution of aortic valve, allergic asthma, virus B chronic hepatitis, chronic glomerulonephritis, replacement of right knee, rheumatoid arthritis, thrombosis of the retinal central vein without a vision reduction). The criteria for an "fitness judgement" are: an accurate diagnosis and evaluation of residual functional ability, analysis of the original job, with an investigation in the field, and break down into the single operations in order to assess all work-related risks (concerning health, safety and physical resources), and evaluation of work organization per job. It was thus possible to define particular adjustments to the original job, so as to be compatible with the current physical conditions the workers. Workers, factory directors and union officers accepted these particular criteria and standard of "work fitness judgement, which made it possible to apply them in practice with consequent reinstatement of workers in productive activity.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e di Medicina Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Bari.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Metrio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Francesco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirris
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gigante
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
vernacular_title: Criteri e modalità di formulazione dei giudizi di idoneità in un'azienda del comparto alimentare.