The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. http://http://dspace.unitus.it:80 2013-05-19T18:34:38Z 2013-05-19T18:34:38Z Monarca, Danilo Biondi, Paolo Cecchini, Massimo Santi, Massimo Guerrieri, Mirko Colantoni, Andrea http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1810 2011-06-27T17:28:14Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Evaluation of respirable dust exposure during hazelnut and chestnut mechanized harvesting. Authors: Monarca, Danilo; Biondi, Paolo; Cecchini, Massimo; Santi, Massimo; Guerrieri, Mirko; Colantoni, Andrea Abstract: Atmospheric dust is defined in different ways but the most used classification are “total suspended dust” (T.S.D) and “particulate matter” (P.M.). A further distinction within the T.S.D. is about inhalable and respirable dust. Inhalable dust has an aerodynamic diameter between 5 and 10 m, while respirable dust presents a diameter between 0,5 and 5 m. Beside the dimension, the danger about dust regards other factors, like: concentration, chemical composition, individual absorption characteristics and exposure time. The mechanized harvesting of nuts, like hazelnuts and chestnuts, is carried out with specific machines that can be classified in three different types: pulled vacuum harvesters with aspirating tubes; pulled or tractor mounted harvesters with automatic picking system; self-propelled harvesters (aspirating or picking). In spite of installation of dust limitation devices, some studies have shown that dust concentration is still more elevated (up to 10 times) than the maximum limits indicated by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (A.C.G.I.H.). The objective of the present study is to evaluate the level of risk at which operators, during nut mechanized harvesting and using modern machines, are really exposed. In order to carry out this survey the data have been collected among some farms of the province of Viterbo (Italy); the farms selected have heterogeneous characteristics so that it is possible to obtain representative results for each type of working site and ground.

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z Monarca, Danilo Biondi, Paolo Cecchini, Massimo Santi, Massimo Guerrieri, Mirko Colantoni, Andrea Colopardi, Francesco http://hdl.handle.net/2067/1811 2011-06-27T20:26:25Z 2007-12-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Transmission of vibrations from portable agricultural machinery to the hand-arm system (HAV): risk evaluation and definition of exposure time for daily action and exposure limits. Authors: Monarca, Danilo; Biondi, Paolo; Cecchini, Massimo; Santi, Massimo; Guerrieri, Mirko; Colantoni, Andrea; Colopardi, Francesco Abstract: Every day agro-forestry workers are exposed to health and safety risks, due to work environment and the machineries they use. Some of these risks, vibrations for example, are usually underestimated by workers as well, because vibrations do not represent an immediate risk for the health. The vibrations can cause some professional diseases whose symptoms can appear after many years too. This is not a good reason to ignore the problem; in fact the consequences of a long exposure time can be very serious. A deeper knowledge of diseases caused by vibrations, laws, the best precautions and safety systems can represent a start to limit the phenomenon. The research about agro-forestry machineries can represent a stimulus to use ergonomic instruments in order to guarantee the health and the safety of the workers. The present research aims to highlight the importance of the exposure to vibrations in agro-forestry sector and its consequences on human health, above all the risks for the hand-arm system during the working day. Every machine has been directly analyzed to establish the level of vibrations produced according to the laws in force and the most recent ISO norms. With the collected data it was possible to establish the maximum exposure times for every instrument in order to respect the European Directive 2002/44/CE of 25 June 2002 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (vibrations).

2007-12-31T23:00:00Z