Chemical risk assessment for workers involved in remediation activities in the industrial area of Venice

The aim of this article is to study the exposure to hazardous chemicals during the remediation activities in the industrial area of Venice. The activities relate to two main typologies: decommissioning of plants and remediation with scotics or excavation of polluted soils. With regard to the first pattern, the experience focuses on the decommissioning of 4 chemical and metallurgical plants occurring since 2010. Regarding the remediation of soils, the experience of 49 sites is reported, where 114 workers were employed, working 58.044 hours, and where 166.848 tons of waste were produced. This article describes in detail the data collected in regards to personal exposure to chemicals. The concentration in air of such toxic and carcinogenic chemicals during these operations were occasionally high, sometimes even dangerously exceeding the recommended limits. This experience demonstrates the potential hazard of these activities. For this reason a special effort in terms of health and safety implementation is necessary for both the industrial site operations and the Pubblic Health and Safety Authority.