Analysis of the environmental conditions in three dairies in Lombardy

The environmental conditions of three dairies in Lombardy, Italy, were ascertained to guarantee the highest level of comfort of the operators and hygiene of the production. Environmental conditions have been characterized by measurements of noise, lighting, air humidity and temperature. Cleaning and washing of tools and machines are the noisiest operations; some workplaces do not comply with the optimum conditions for lighting, recommended by UNI 10380, 10530 and ISO 8995 standards. Temperature and humidity trends follow strictly the various steps of the processes, so they increase rapidly when steam pumps start. The main problems highlighted are: an unfavourable layout, old and worn plants, a poor organization of the job and an inadequate behaviour of the staff. An adequate planning of the workstations is highly recommended to guarantee safety and quality of the production process. At the same time, the operators must be informed and formed on specific risks and the suitable behaviours be adopted.