title: [Preliminary results of a health survey of muscular-skeletal disorders in a group of 2247 small building trades in the Province of Bergamo].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the past ten years European and Italian statistics reported a significant increase in work-related musculoskeletal disorders, which also covered the construction industry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To verify this issue, the EPM Research Unit, in collaboration with the Small Craft Industries Territorial Joint Committee in Bergamo (CPTA), undertook a research project on muscular-skeletal disorders with special reference to the lumbar spine and upper limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The health survey was carried out by an ad hoc trained staff
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between November 2009 and July 2010, data on 2247 subjects doing a variety of jobs were obtained, more than 50% of whom were masons. The entire sample and the group of masons were investigated and both exhibited a prevalence of upper limb disorders that was definitely higher than in the reference group of non-exposed subjects. Regarding the lumbar spine, the most significant evidence was the high prevalence of degenerative diseases (herniated disc), while subjective disorders appeared to be lower than in the reference groups. These data are influenced by the healthy worker effect, which is extremely marked in this industrial sector, as well as by the economic crisis that led to many workers having to leave.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active research needs to be included in the protocol of health surveillance (with appropriate clinical protocol), of upper limb and spinal MSDs. The data also highlight the need for biomechanical overload exposure data aimed at reconstructing risk profiles (from biomechanical overload)for each job and at simplifying risk assessment requirements according to present legislation but above all at identifying the technological and organizational solutions to eliminate this particular risk.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano. nora.vitelli@libero.it
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vitelli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Battevi
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carissimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D015989:Healthy Worker Effect; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult