Skin disorders: training for

employees

www.ohtoolkit.co.uk
Contents

• What’s the issue?

• What’s the issue in our organisation?
• Why should we deal with skin disorders?
• What are my employer’s responsibilities?
• What are my responsibilities?
• What should I do if I develop skin
problems?
• Where can I find out more?
What is the issue?

• Skin conditions can affect any part of the

body – the hands and forearms are the
most common
• Symptoms can vary from mild and irritating,
to severe, chronic and debilitating
• Skin cancers can be lethal
• Not all skin conditions are caused by work
What is the issue?

• Approximately 16,000 people who worked in the

last 12 months had skin problems they believed to
be work-related

• In 2008, over 2,180 serious cases of occupational

skin disease were reported by occupational
physicians and dermatologists

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/dermatitis/index.htm
What is the issue?

• The HSE defines occupational skin disease

as ‘a disease in which workplace exposure
to a physical, chemical or biological agent
or a mechanical force has been the cause
or played a major role in the development
of the disease’
What is the issue?

Routes of skin exposure:

• immersion
• splashing
• contact with contaminated surfaces, tools,
clothing
• the substance landing on the skin

Often, liquids are the source of the problem –

sometimes solids are involved
What is the issue?

Typical occupational skin disorders include:

• contact dermatitis
• contact urticaria
• acne and folliculitis
• pigmentation changes
• skin cancer
What is the issue?

Contact dermatitis
• This is the most common skin disease,
accounting for 72% of all skin problems

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/dermatitis/index.htm
What is the issue?

There are two types of contact dermatitis:

• irritant
• allergic

They have the same appearance but

different causes
What is the issue?

Common causes of contact dermatitis (CD)

Irritant CD Allergic CD

Water Nickel
Detergents Chromium
Solvents Latex
Metal working fluids Rubber
Acids Dyes
Alkalis Epoxy resins
What is the issue?

Skin cancer
• The second most common skin disease,
accounting for 19% of skin problems
• It can be caused by:
– UV light (sunlight or artificial)
– ionising radiation
– polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
– tar and tar products

Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/dermatitis/index.htm
What is the issue?

Other skin problems

• Contact urticaria
• Acne and folliculitis
• Pigmentation changes
What is the issue in Insert your
organisation
name or logo
our organisation? here

Use the supplementary slide and insert your own data

• Estimates of number of people exposed to skin risk
factors
• Number of cases of dermatitis
• Number of days’ work lost
Why should we deal
with skin disorders?
• Legal – responsibility under health and
safety law

• Moral – obligation as a good employer

• Financial – dealing with skin problems

reduces sickness absence levels and
saves money
What are my employer’s
responsibilities?
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
requires employers to ensure the health,
safety and welfare of employees while at work
• The Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1999 require the employer
to assess risks and, where necessary, take
action to ensure and safeguard health and
safety, including health surveillance, if
appropriate
What are my employer’s
responsibilities?

• The Control of Substances Hazardous to

Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 (as
amended 2004) require employers to
control exposure to hazardous substances
to prevent ill health
What are my employer’s
responsibilities?
Under COSHH, employers must:
• carry out a risk assessment (Reg 6)
• control exposure to hazardous substances (Reg
7)
• have appropriate control measures, and make
sure they’re maintained (Regs 8 and 9)
• carry out health surveillance of employees (Reg
11)
• give employees education, instruction and
training (Reg 12)
What are my employer’s
responsibilities?
• Under RIDDOR 1995,* all cases of
occupational skin disease that are
confirmed by a doctor must be reported to
the HSE

* Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

How can we deal with
skin disorders?

My employer needs to check:

• which agents at work can cause skin
damage
• there’s no excessive amount of wet work
• suppliers’ labels and literature
• safety data sheets produced by
manufacturers
How can we deal with skin
disorders?
My employer also needs to:
• consider eliminating the use of hazardous substances
• consider using ‘safer’ substances
• control exposure by using engineering controls,
eg automation, enclosure, local exhaust ventilation
• consider modifying processes to minimise contact with
hands
• establish good working practices
• provide suitable gloves or protective clothing and/or skin
care products (although the use of impervious gloves
should be limited)
What are my
responsibilities?
• You have a duty to take care of your health and safety
• Examine your skin regularly and report any problems
• Take part in the risk assessment process
• Read management communications
• Ask for information (data sheets, labels) on the
substances you use
• Use the controls properly, including gloves and protective
clothing
• Attend training
• Attend skin check ups and health surveillance sessions
when asked to do so
• Maintain good personal hygiene
What can I do if I develop
skin problems?

• Speak to your manager or safety

representative
• Visit your GP or occupational health
department at work
• Don’t ignore the problem and struggle on –
it could get worse, not better
What can I do if I develop
skin problems?
There’s a range of free HSE leaflets you can read,
including:
• It’s in your hands
• Preventing dermatitis at work
• Skin checks for dermatitis
• Skin contact: distance your skin from chemicals and
wet work
• Correct removal of gloves
• Skin care

Source: www.hse.gov.uk/skin/information.htm
IOSH is Europe's leading body for health and safety professionals. We
have over 37,000 members worldwide, including more than 13,000
Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners.
The Institution was founded in 1945 and is an independent, not-for-profit
organisation that sets professional standards, supports and develops
members and provides authoritative advice and guidance on health and
safety issues. IOSH is formally recognised by the ILO as an
international non-governmental organisation.

The IOM is a major independent centre of scientific excellence in the

fields of occupational and environmental health, hygiene and safety. We
were founded as a charity in 1969 by the UK coal industry in conjunction
with the University of Edinburgh and became fully independent in 1990.
Our mission is to benefit those at work and in the community by
providing quality research, consultancy and training in health, hygiene
and safety and by maintaining our independent, impartial position as an
international centre of excellence.