Risk managed natural land: when natural environments are economic resources and workplaces - Ambienti naturali a rischio gestito: quando gli ambienti naturali speciali sono risorse economiche e luoghi di lavoro

The tourism-sports sector, with its growing offer of outdoor activities that can be practiced in the different seasons of the year, is increasingly establishing itself as an interesting and new business sector. Its operators are often young people who have been able to find a professional outlet - as instructors or guides - in one or more sports activities initially practiced for passion, and who therefore carry out - to all intents and purposes - work in 'special environments', that is in environments where certain dangers cannot be eliminated under penalty of distortion of the environments themselves; and where therefore certain risk factors characterize the work itself.
INAIL has launched a research process on the dangers and risks of special natural environments when these are prepared and maintained to be made available to those who wish to practice outdoor sports there. The seminar will illustrate how the 'risk assessment' methodology applied to natural environments is extremely effective in identifying dangers and defining dangerous areas and situations in relation to the work or sporting activity that is taking place there. It will also illustrate 'tools' being implemented that should allow those who, for various reasons, have to practice an activity in a special natural environment, to independently evaluate the knowledge, skills and competences possessed in order to identify the dangers to which they will be exposed and effectively manage the resulting risks.