SARS-CoV-2 and the Risk Assessment Document in Italian Work; Specific or Generic Risk Even If Aggravated?

Abstract

In December 2019, several cases of atypical pneumonia were detected in Wuhan city, Hubei province, inland China. The initial outbreak was of considerable size first in China subsequently spread to the rest of the world. Immediately after the epidemic (which according to the World Health Organization had risen to pandemic status), the problem of whether or not to update the occupational risk assessment arose, also considering how the biological risk from SARS CoV-2 should be understood: specific or generic. To this end, we conducted a literature review to identify national health legislation and policies, examining how Italy has addressed the COVID-19 emergency in occupational health planning, in order to develop considerations on the need to update the Risk Assessment Document following the pandemic status. The data that emerged from the review of current legislation allowed us to conclude that the risk from SARS-CoV-2 is in most work activities to be understood as a generic or aggravated generic risk, requiring the employer to apply and control the preventive measures suggested by health authorities to contain the spread of the virus.

COVID-19 Pandemic: New Prevention and Protection Measures

“…In jobs where the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 is not directly related to the activity carried out but is correlated to all the other specific conditions of the epidemiological context, this risk is to be considered generic or aggravated generic, for example in all industrial activities where the omnipresent use of machinery exposes workers to a greater risk of accidents requiring rescue and close contact [51]. In these production activities, it is therefore sufficient for the preventive measures indicated by the health authorities to be taken in order to contain the spread of the virus, keeping track of it through a special annex to the DVR [52]. Having said this, it is necessary to integrate the information according to the type of activity carried out, with the frequency of possible contacts with external personnel (customers, collaborators or suppliers) and the ability to maintain the correct social distance.…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions and Vaccination Acceptance/Hesitancy among the Community Pharmacists of Palermo’s Province, Italy: From Influenza to COVID-19

“…Herd immunity through vaccination is a key measure to control the COVID-19 pandemic; however, vaccine hesitancy remains a public health threat, which is still common among HCWs [ 31 ].…”

“…However, there were still some subcategories that were less likely to vaccinate [ 31 ]. Some of them (42%), indeed, expressed high hesitation toward seasonal influenza vaccination even during the COVID-19 era.…”

Occupational Safety of Municipal Police Officers: Assessing the Vulnerability and Riskiness of Police Officers’ Work

“…If one of the work and work environment factors for the risk classification can be included in Category 3 (in this case biological factors), then the whole work is included in Category 3 of work riskiness [ 21 ]. Police officers are at risk for several diseases, and various measures need to be taken to reduce the likelihood of illness during work [ 23 , 65 ]. Reassignment of municipal police officers from Category 2 to Category 3 of work riskiness, at least for the duration of a pandemic of an airborne disease (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), could increase their safety and health at work.…”