[Occupational health physician and risk assessment in workplaces]

The aim of this report is to analyse and discuss about professional duties of occupational health physicians dealing with risk assessment and health surveillance in workplaces. There are specific regulatory standards today regarding safety and health surveillance and protection of workers in occupational settings; on the other hand no clear recommendation exist, from the regulatory and practical point of view, in defining the specific tasks of a company doctor in risk assessment and management. Generally speaking safety professionals more often required by employers in risk assessment are industrial hygienists or safety and security technicians or engineers. The role of occupational physicians is almost confined to the practice of health surveillance. The paper highlights some specific circumstances in which occupational company doctors must be involved in risk assessment and management, it also describes their unique role in chemical and carcinogen hazard and risk assessment and management. Interactions between occupational health physician, workforce and employers are also underlined, because of their relevance from educational and social point of view, mainly in small and medium enterprises. In these particular workplaces the company doctor is often the unique safety professional directly implied in a good relationship with workforce and may have some opportunity in promoting safe behaviour related to job risks. Methods and occupational settings are described in order to promote and enhance the occupational health physician duties in workplaces, other than the health surveillance alone.