Safety guidelines of the early phases of timber processing

Over the last decade workers’ health and safety have been given a growing attention and the laws issued in Italy to protect and improve both workers’ health and work standards are intended to avoid, or at least contain, occupational hazards and diseases. Now, in view of the very important role of the timber sector within the Italian economy and particularly of the Calabria Region, and in consideration of the crucial issues linked to workplace safety in this same sector, it was decided to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the hazards related to timber processing in a sample of nine timber processing businesses. The main objectives of the study were: i) defining risk profiles in the sector under consideration, and ii) formulating technical proposals and fixes targeted to risk reduction. The study has in addition assessed both sanitation and environmental conditions for all the workers. The survey has highlighted a rather serious situation, in terms of wok safety conditions, of the sector of timber processing. The results obtained do suggest that additional research efforts and targeted worker’s training are required to improve safety conditions in timber processing businesses safety, in particular should become a sort of discipline in daily business operations.