[Professional exposure to natural ultraviolet radiation: risk assessment and management and preventing strategies].

The aim of our study was to verify the impact of work risk factor in causing cutaneous neoplasia on a group of patients and to assess the risk of exposure to UV on outdoor workers. The survey was divided in three phases: a) Questionnaire, b) Dermatological clinical examination. c) Exposure measurement by spectral radiance method (mW/cm2). 248 subjects were enrolled, 100 of which affected by basal cellular carcinoma (BCC) (68% M and 32% F: mean age 70 +/- 11.93 y) 130 by melanoma (42% M and 58% F; mean age 53 +/- 17.35 y) and 18 by squamous cellular carcinoma (33% F and 67% M: mean age 78 +/- 11.41 y). In addiction 22 healthy male subjects exposed to UV were examined (mean age 38.59 +/- 13.65 y; specific working age 11.88 +/- 10.92 y). The assessment of UV exposure was performed over a 24 days timeframe during summer 2007, all over the working day. Furthermore, maximum allowed exposure time (t(max)) without protection was calculated according to ACGIH guidelines in order to prevent cutaneous alterations. It turned out that the UV exposure, both in working and spare time, is the root cause for squamous cellular cancer developing. Furthermore our results proved that also BCC is related to the overall UV exposure. No clear link to the UV exposure was found for cutaneous melanoma. No precancerous lesions were observed on shortly exposed subjects. The measurements performed revealed, as expected, lower exposure during first and last hours of the day without any particular constrain on t(max), and maximum exposure in the timeframe between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Therefore, it is necessary to pay higher attention to the UV exposure and related consequences on employees health in order to provide with the most suitable preventing measures such the usage of protections depending from the requested exposure time.