[Sleep disorders and work: guidelines for health surveillance, risk management and prevention].

Sleep disorders and related diseases are becoming increasingly relevant for the health and wellbeing of the general and working populations. Sleep disorders affect all aspects of health, showing a bi-directionality with health conditions and comorbidity with several diseases. Consequently, sleep disorders may have severe negative consequences both for the individual and the enterprise, as well as for society on the whole, in terms of health, productivity and social costs.

[Sleep disordered breathing and driving].

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common Sleep Disordered Breathing. OSA is associated with an increase risk of motor vehicle crash and effective treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces that risk to the one of the general population. In commercial drivers an excessive prevalence of OSA has been reported, and the contribution of heavy vehicle crashes to road-related deaths appears to be substantial.

[Occupational accidents, work performance and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)].

Although many patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) form part of the work force, the impact of OSAS on occupational accidents and on work performance is unclear. To address this issue, we investigated 100 referents workers without OSAS (50 blue-collar and 50 white-collar) and 331 workers affected by OSAS (144 blue-collar and 187 white-collar). Workers affected by OSAS had been involved in occupational accidents more often than referents (27.

An old threat in a new setting: High prevalence of silicosis among jewelry workers.

Background: Silicosis is caused by inhaling free crystalline silica. Few case reports have addressed the risk of silicosis in the jewelry trade where chalk molds containing a high percentage of silica are used in casting. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 100 goldsmiths exposed to silica.

Sick building syndrome in like symptoms in emergency prefabricated accommodation.

The present study investigated the sources of discomfort and the symptoms reported by earthquake victims residing in temporary emergency prefabricated accommodation (prefab). The investigation was carried out by means of a questionnaire. 203 prefab occupants and 13 inhabitants of houses, who were chosen as reference population, replied in winter and 233 prefab occupants and 154 inhabitants of houses replied in summer.