Therefore, you should determine if the five risk factors for
occupational dermatitis exist and must be and addressed in your
workplace.
What Is Occupational Dermatitis?
Dermatitis occurs when skin becomes inflamed and irritated. The two
general types of dermatitis are primary irritation and sensitization.
Primary irritation usually results from contact with a substance—such as
strong acids, caustics, and solvents—in a significant quantity,
concentration, and length of time.
This affects the skin directly at the exposure site in different ways,
depending on the type of chemical. For example, solvents work by
removing fats and oils from the skin, while prolonged exposure to oils
and waxes can plug up the skin's hair follicles and sweat ducts, causing
inflammation and acne.
Sensitization is an allergic reaction that occurs when the body’s immune
system reacts to a substance. Workers may become sensitized after a
single exposure to a substance, or they may be exposed to a substance
for years before their body begins to react.
Identifying Dermatitis Risks
No industry can claim immunity to problematic skin exposures. For example:
- Workers in construction are exposed to Portland cement.
- Healthcare workers are at risk from latex, chemical sterilants and disinfectants, and hazardous drugs.
- Agricultural workers' skin is exposed to pesticides.
- Many hairdressers are forced out of their trade because they develop skin reactions to the chemicals they use on their clients.
Any worker exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace should be
aware of the potential for skin damage, the dangers of occupational
dermatitis, and preventive measures, including wearing appropriate
gloves to prevent contact.
These five factors increase the risk of occupational dermatitis:
1. Frequent or prolonged contact with chemicals. A chemical that
might be harmless or mildly irritating during occasional use can become
much more hazardous with frequent or prolonged contact. Examine the
safety information for any chemical that is in contact with workers'
skin frequently or for prolonged periods to ensure that it does not
cause skin irritation, sensitization, or systemic effects.
Also, look for less obvious sources of chemical contact. For example,
pesticide residues will linger on plants, and workers who handle these
plants may have significant exposures through the skin even after the
waiting period required following pesticide applications.
Sources of skin exposure include:
- Direct contact with contaminated surfaces
- Aerosolized particles
- Immersion
- Splashes
2. Skin that is already damaged. Intact skin can protect against
many exposures, but damaged skin may permit chemicals that would
otherwise be blocked to enter the body.
Employees who work with chemicals that pose a skin hazard should be
aware of whether they need to take additional precautions when they have
scratches or cuts on their skin. Under some circumstances—for example,
workers with large open wounds that could come into contact with
chemicals—they may need to be temporarily reassigned.
Workers exposed to mechanical hazards, such as friction, pressure,
abrasive materials, or sharp edges, can suffer skin damage on the job
that will make chemical exposures much more dangerous. Make sure
chemical exposure hazards are not compounded by trauma hazards in the
workplace.
3. Poor hygiene. Workers with dermal exposures should wash
frequently so chemicals do not remain on their skin for long periods of
time. Skin hygiene in the presence of hazardous chemicals is somewhat
different from skin hygiene at home. Workers should:
- Wash their hands before putting gloves on so they do not trap hazardous materials against their skin.
- Wash their gloves before removing them so they do not transfer hazardous chemicals from the gloves to their skin.
- Wash their hands after removing contaminated gloves, and dry their hands gently, but thoroughly.
- Use
only moisturizers provided by the employer that will not damage gloves,
and apply lotions and moisturizers only to clean skin.
Note: If pH is an issue (as it is for workers who use
Portland cement), employers should provide pH neutral or buffered soaps
at work, and workers should also use them at home.
4. Temperature extremes or exposure to sunlight. Heat and cold
both stress the skin, making it more susceptible to chemical injury.
Sunlight, too, can make some exposures more dangerous through its
interaction with chemicals.
5. Wet work. A chemical that might not ordinarily penetrate the
skin in large amounts could do so under wet conditions—including heavy
perspiration—because wet skin is more permeable than dry skin. Workers
in wet environments may need to take precautions—such as wearing
gloves—that would not be necessary if their skin were dry.
Tip: Workers who use solvents, such as methylene chloride,
may be tempted to clean their skin with it. Teach them about the
hazards and to clean their skin with soap and water only, rather than
with potentially hazardous solvents.
