Otorhinolaryngological assessment and psychological adjustment in tanning industry workers

The purpose of the study was to verify the presence of any symptoms and otorhinolaryngological pathologies and to determine any discomfort and psychophysical changes among workers in the tanning industry. The study involved 129 subjects working in tanning industries in the Chiampo valley (Veneto region of Italy). Their clinical history was recorded and they underwent objective ENT examination and pure-tone audiometry. For the psychodiagnostic evaluation, four questionnaires were administered (EPI, STAI, ZUNG and GHQ). ENT assessment revealed no objective problems and findings were within the normal range in the majority of cases. Hearing function was also generally normal or within the normal range for an individual's age. Psychological evaluation revealed a valid psychological adjustment in almost all cases, despite the majority of workers reporting some subjective discomfort attached mainly to the particularly unpleasant smell in a micro-climate with a high rate of humidity. The findings of this preliminary investigation enable us to claim that the working environment in the tanning industries is not severely harmful for the upper airways and hearing function. It is worth noting the normality of the workers' psychological adjustment, which indicates a valid psycho-physical balance in these subjects who operate in an environment with unpleasant features.