The essay examines the guidelines of new regulation on health and safety at work (d.lgs. n. 626/94), that transposed the EEC di-rective 89/391 into national legislation.
The Author gives an outline of agents and bodies appointed to defend the right to safety (unit of prevention and protection; com-pany doctor; employees' representative): their role is analysed and the faults and the ambiguities of Italian rules are pointed out.
The main questions involve the impact of this legislation on the industrial relations system and the possible development of a partecipative model of management of safety at work.