Dermatitis industrial

Aminophylline is a 2/1 mixture of theophylline and ethylenediamine. It caused contact dermatitis industrial plants, in pharmacists, and Ethylenediamine is the sensitizer, and patch testing is generally positive to both ethylenediamine and aminophylline, but negative to theophylline. 

Although most nickel sensitization results from nonoccupational exposures, nickel dermatitis was historically a problem in workplaces where there was a high risk of continuous contact with soluble nickel, eg, in electroplating (qv) shops. Improved personal and industrial hygiene has largely eliminated this problem. However, there are a few occupations involving wet nickel work, particularly where detergents faciUtate the penetration of skin by nickel, where hand eczema may occur (126). 

Occasional brief contacts of Hquid carbon tetrachloride with unbroken skin do not produce irritation, though the skin may feel dry because of removal of natural oils. Prolonged and repeated contacts may cause dermatitis, cracking of the skin, and danger of secondary infection. Carbon tetrachloride is apparenfly absorbed through the skin but at such a slow rate that there is no significant hazard of systemic poisoning in normal industrial operations. 

The past experience of the dyestuff industry in its use of dye intermediates such as ( -naphthyl amine and benzidine (4), known human bladder carcinogens (334—343), have led to studies as to whether or not handlers of dyes are exposed to medical ha2ards such as cancer, dermatitis, and other disorders (344-360). 

Toxic chemicals can enter the body in various ways, in particular by swallowing, inhalation and skin absorption. Skin absorption may lead to dermatitis and this can be a most annoying complaint. Whereas some chemicals may have an almost universal effect on human beings, others may attack only a few persons. A person who has worked with a given chemical for some years may suddenly become sensitised to it and from then on be unable to withstand the slightest trace of that material in the atmosphere. He may as a result also be sensitised not only to the specific chemical that caused the initial trouble but to a host of related products. Unfortunately a number of chemicals used in the plastics industry have a tendency to be dermatitic, including certain halogenated aromatic materials, formaldehyde and aliphatic amines. 

It should be made clear to people exposed to lubricants that good standards of personal hygiene are a most effective protection against potential health hazards. However, those individuals with a history of (or thought to be particularly predisposed to) eczema or industrial dermatitis should be excluded from work where, as in machine-tool operation, contact with lubricants is virtually unavoidable. 

Nickel dust caused skin dermatitis, especially in hot industrial environments 5... 

Dermal exposure to chemicals is one of the leading causes of job-related illness as reported by the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health. As jet fuel is the primary occupational exposure of military and aviation industry personnel, there is elevated concern regarding JP-8 dermal exposures in the workplace. Several anecdotal reports confirm that persons exposed to jet fuel experience itching or burning skin, skin redness or rash, skin dryness or dermatitis, skin lesions or weeping, or skin sensitization [32,33,34], yet little is known regarding possible systemic effects following dermal exposure. 

More information is available on the public health impact of occupational contact dermatitis. Specific national occupational disease and illness data are available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which conducts annual surveys of approximately 180,000 employers selected to represent all private industries in the United States.68 All occupational skin diseases or disorders, including allergic contact dermatitis, are tabulated in this survey. BLS data show that occupational skin diseases accounted for a consistent 30 to 45% of all cases of occupational illnesses from the 1970s through the mid-1980s, and in recent years accounted for 15% of all occupational illness.68 The decline in this proportion may be partially related to an increase seen in disorders associated with repeated trauma. 

Burnett, C.A., et al., Occupational dermatitis causing days away from work in US private industry. Amer. J. Industr. Med., 34, 568, 1988. 

Occupational health and safety in the rubber industry is discussed with reference to UK, US and European legislation. The review covers both natural and synthetic rubber industries. The first section outlines the laws affecting health and safety in the industry and the remainder presents specific health and safety issues of interest to employers and employees. Industrial safety is examined with reference to equipment, fire and explosions, solvents, epidemiology, NR latex allergy, skin irritations and dermatitis, dust and fume control, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, nitrosamines, 1,3-butadiene, and handling of rubber chemicals. 484 refs. 

A detailed review is presented of the literature on cutaneous reactions to rubber, the aspects covered including latex allergy, irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. The adverse cutaneous reactions to rubber occurring following industrial and occupational or consumer exposure to rubber chemicals or products or to natural rubber latex proteins are discussed. 261 refs. 

Environment and health-related problems Water-soluble chrome(VI) compounds in the wet cement or mortar have a highly sensitising effect and are up to 90% the cause of allergic cement dermatitis (cement eczema, bricklayer s itch ). The high alkalinity (pH = 13) of cement aids the development of this contact eczema. Bricklayer s itch is one of the most frequent professional diseases in the construction industry. 

Nillson, R Nordlinder, R Wass, U. Asthma, rhinitis, and dermatitis in workers exposed to reactive dyes. British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1993 50, 65-70. 

Burnett CA, Lushniak BD, McCarthy W, et al Occupational dermatitis causing days away from work in U.S. private industry, 1993. Am J Ind Med 3 -.568-573, 1998... 

Certain industrial populations exposed to coal tar products have a demonstrated risk of skin cancer. Substances containing polycyclic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatics (PNAs), which may produce skin cancer, also produce contact dermatitis (e.g., coal tar pitch, cutting oils)." Although allergic dermatitis is readily induced by PNAs in guinea pigs, it only rarely is reported in humans from occupational contact with PNAs. Incidences in humans have resulted largely from the therapeutic use of coal tar preparations. ... 

Dermatitis and conjunctivitis are occasionally observed in chemical workers after prolonged exposure. No systemic effects from industrial exposure have been reported. 

Some of the effects of acute arsenic intoxication are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and irritation inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes and skin and kidney damage. Among the effects of chronic arsenic poisoning are increased pigmentation and keratinization of the skin, dermatitis, and epidermoid carcinoma. Other effects seen after ingestion, but which are not common from industrial exposure, are muscular paralysis, visual dismrbances, and liver and kidney damage. ... 

Frequent inflammation of the pharynx and larynx has heen reported in exposed workers. Very small quantities of the dust have caused asthmatic attacks in workers after periods of exposure ranging from 3 months to 10 years. Sensitization dermatitis has heen reported from its use in the fur dyeing industry. In this process, oxidation products of p-phenylenedi-amine are generated that are also strong skin sensitizers. Many instances of inflammation and damage of periocular and ocular tissue have been reported from contact with hair dyes containing p-phenylenediamine, presumably in sensitized individuals. ... 

Beryllium is an important metal alloy used in the nuclear power industry. Its presence in coal and oil results in more than 1250 tons being released into the environment annually from fuel combustion at power plants. Exposure is primarily from inhalation, but skin contact can result in dermatitis. Cigarette smokers also inhale a little beryllium. Initially, beryllium distributes to the liver, but ultimately is absorbed by bone. 

Inhalation of zinc chloride fumes can injure lungs and respiratory tract. Dusts or fumes also cause dermatitis, boils, conjunctivitis, and gastrointestinal tract upset (Lewis(Sr), R. J. 1996. Sax s Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, 9th ed. New York Van Nostrand Reinhold). 

Wall LM, Calnan CD. 1980. Occupational nickel dermatitis in the electroforming industry. Contact Dermatitis 6 414-420. 

Shmunes, E. and Taylor, J.S. Industrial contact dermatitis. Effect of the riot control agent ortho-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile. Arch. Dermatol. 107 212-216, 1973. 

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