[The world of health care and the directives 626/94-242/96 on safety and health in the workplace. Prevention of risks for workers: who cares for the caregivers?].

In Italy, the adoption of the EEC Directives on "Safety and hygiene" has brought into the health structures a revolution that may be summarized in the sentence: "to take care for people taking care". This kind of approach has had an impact also on the medicine legislation, with a shift from B. Ramazzini to L. Devoto, that is from workers' deseases to occupational medicine. In a first time laws were founded according to an insurance vision; subsequently safety prevailed; in a third phase safety and prevention were joined together. To day the basic concept is: prevention, protection and safety. The involved subjects and the innovative aspects of Dlgs 626/94 and Dlgs 242/96 are the cornerstones of the olistic vision according to which "to work for health may cause harm to health".