Dermatitis

Occupational dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that results from exposure to an irritant on the job. The irritant can be chemical, mechanical, physical, or biological. How the skin responds to the irritant varies by the type
of skin (pigmentation, dryness, hairiness), age, sex, season of the year, history of skin disease or allergy, and personal hygiene.
A reaction can occur from one exposure or from long or repeated exposures. But no matter how or where it occurs, it is much easier to prevent than to cure.
There are two kinds
of dermatitis: contact dermatitis – when the irritant causes an immediate, one-time reaction, and sensitization dermatitis – when the reaction is delayed from several hours to
several months.
• Chemicals, producing burns or mild skin irritation, are the most frequent cause of dermatitis.
• Mechanical causes include friction, pressure, and trauma resulting in abrasions, wounds, bruises, or foreign bodies (like glass fiber) getting into the skin. Physical agents leading to dermatitis are excessive heat, cold, sunlight, ultraviolet light, X-rays or other ionizing radiation.
• Biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, poisonous plants, and insects can cause or complicate occu-pational dermatitis.
What can be done to prevent or lessen the chance of developing dermatitis? Personal cleanliness is one of the best preventive measures. Wash your hands often with a mild, non-abrasive soap and immediately wash any skin area that’s been exposed to an irritating substance.
Eliminate skin contact with irritating substances or substitute less toxic and irritating ones where possible. Engineering controls, such as enclosures, guards or mechanical handling devices, can help minimize contact with hazardous substances. Protective
clothing and equipment, including aprons, eye and face shields, finger cots, gloves, and chemical-resistant clothing
can also help, if they are kept clean and in good repair. Laundering procedures should be maintained to ensure that irritating materials are removed from clothing and not taken home. Protective creams, when used properly, provide some protection.
The most important thing an employer
can do is establish an employee education program so that workers who may be exposed to skin irritants are informed about the hazards, understand the precautions, and know what processes or equipment to use to avoid or minimize exposure. q