Occupational skin disease prevention

Measures of the public health importance of a disease include the absolute number of cases, the incidence rate, the prevalence (rate), the economic impact of the disease, and the prognosis and preventability of the disease.65 Contact dermatitis is the most common occupational and environmental skin disease. Epidemiologic data show that contact dermatitis comprises 90 to 95% of all occupational skin diseases. 

Dry skin and its complications are very frequent problems in several occupational settings, although they are often underestimated and seldom included in the lists of occupational skin diseases. In order to understand how dry skin develops, how the main environmental factors induce it and how we can prevent or treat this condition, we have to understand the constitution and physiology of the permeability skin barrier. 

Itschner L, Hinnen U, Eisner P (1996) Prevention of hand eczema in the metal-working industry Risk awareness and behaviour of metal worker apprentices. Dermatology 193 226-229 Kanerva L, Estlander T, Jolanki R (1988) Occupational skin disease in Finland. An analysis of 10 years of statistics from an occupational dermatology clinic. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 60 89-94... 

Pre-employment evaluation of workers serves the purpose of primary prevention against occupational skin disease. Screening prospective workers for an increased risk of developing occupational contact psoriasis, by looking for personal and familial psoriatic background and the physical markers of the disease, may be important in job placement. Workers with predisposition to psoriasis should be discouraged from holding jobs that expose them to risk of skin injury and repetitive trauma. 

Adams RM (1983) Treatment, prevention and rehabilitation. In Adams RM (ed) Occupational skin disease. Grune and Stratton, New York, pp 157-178... 

The reduction of the amount of wet work is the most important measure in prevention of occupational skin diseases, not only because wet work itself is irritant, but because many relevant allergens contact the skin during wet work. Furthermore, the concept of wet work is easily understood, and it is often not difficult to convince the management to reduce wet work by showing its effects on the frequency of hand eczema... 

Birmingham D (1969) Prevention of occupational skin disease. Cutis 5 153-156... 

A distinction is usually made between primary prevention, i.e. inhibition of the induction and onset of a disease, and secondary prevention, i.e. inhibition of relapses. Tertiary prevention aims at inhibition of worsening ( quality of life ). The value of disease prevention is evident to individuals, the community and the medical profession. For human, social, and economic reasons, it would be of great benefit if people exposed to harmful chemicals and products, physical factors, and biological agents could be protected from developing occupational skin diseases. 

Tertiary prevention of occupational skin disease addresses mainly chronic irritant hand dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis. Apart from clearing the current skin disease, efforts should be directed toward a marked improvement of working conditions, e.g., completely eliminating skin contact with known indi-... 

In the case of occupational dermatoses, there is an imperative for the cause of the skin disease to be investigated in detail, including both workplace and leisure time exposures, in order to obtain a correct diagnosis. The eliciting factors - physical, biological, chemicals, products, materials, etc. (Table 1) - should be considered according to the principles for prevention reviewed in this chapter. As pointed out, the best results are achieved when the prophylactic means are combined. 

Workplace visits include a presentation on types of occupational skin damage and ways of protection. They are particularly effective because they include not only the diseased person but also other workers, who are probably not affected, and the employer. Thus, prevention is addressed not only in the context of individual behavior but also in the context of (occupational) setting. During such a visit, the cost and benefit of skin protective measures can be discussed. 

Kadlec K, Hanslian L, Forprechtova (1974) Occurence of skin disease as a result of work with polyester varnishes (in Czech). Cesk Dermatol 49 281-289 Kanerva L, Bjorkner B, Esdander T, Jolanki R, Tarvainen K (1996a). Plastic materials occupational exposure, skin irritancy and its prevention. In van der Valk P, Maibach HI (eds) The irritant contact dermatitis syndrome. CRC, Boca Raton, pp 127-155... 

The employer will provide proper personal protective equipment, skin testing, education, and training provided at no cost to employees. Employees are responsible for the information contained in this plan and are expected to wear proper respiratory protection when directed and trained by the employer. Prevention of TB exposnre will be based on adherence to the recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The employer will ensure that employees use provided guidelines for patient assessment and evaluation of TB. 

Jungbauer FHW, van dur Vleuten P, Groothoff JW, et al. Irritant hand dermatitis severity of disease, occupational exposure to skin irritants and preventive measures 5 yetu after inititil diagnosis. Contact Dermatitis. 2004 50 245-51. 

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