Particular occupational risks in a waste water service

Introduction
The European Risk Observatory identifies some of the emerging biological risks that are most likely to affect EU workers, especially farmers, health personnel or people working developments in sectors such as waste treatment.

Methods
Microbiological measurements (aero-micro-flora, hands’ and surfaces ‘wash) were performed in some specific workplaces of the regional operating company of the public water and wastewater services. Some voluntary workers were investigated in according with biological risk, throat and nasal swab, stuf examination (bacteriological and parazitological).

Results
Work is developed in external spaces and high effort is demanded. Aeromicroflora and surfaces microbiological analyze put in evidence the presence of coagulazo -negative Staphylococci, Streptococcus viridians, Bacil proteus, Escherichia coli, molds, Bacillus sp., Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas fluorescents / putida, Raoutella terrigena, hemolytic flora. At 12% of the workers were find the same germs, into the throat and nasal equent in the lavage of the hands. The total number of germ was high in some points (27,560/m3). It must be mentioned that the majority of workers work part-time in agriculture.

Discussion
In wastewater treatment, workers come into contact with a number of microorganisms and organic compounds that are transmitted through the air, water. They can belong in all the four classes of biological risks and represent a real danger for the health of the workers.