Work-related dermatitis can force people to give up their jobs due to its severe symptoms. Dr Muiris Houston reports
What is dermatitis?
Skin disease is the most common work-related problem of the 21st century. There are two types of occupational skin disease: irritant dermatitis and allergic dermatitis. Dirt, oils, vegetable juices and simply 'wet work' can all cause an irritant dermatitis, which is reversible when the substance causing the irritation is no longer in contact with the skin.
Allergic dermatitis is a more serious condition. It involves the sensitisation of your body's immune system which reacts strongly to the allergic substance. Although such sensitivities may eventually be lost, the body remains primed and even a tiny exposure in the future can cause a flare-up of the symptoms. For some people, the diagnosis of severe allergic dermatitis will make it difficult to continue with their current job.
What are the symptoms of dermatitis?
Your skin will become itchy and noticeably dry. The next stage causes redness followed by scaling and peeling of the skin's top layer. In severe cases, the skin may even begin to weep. The commonest site for dermatitis is the hands and forearms.
How might you know that you had a skin condition caused by work?
If you notice a skin problem for the first time when you start a new job, if the dermatitis is worse on work days or an improvement in the condition occurs during holidays, you should be suspicious about a work-related cause.
If your work involves exposure to either irritants or allergens or both, it is possible that work is causing your skin problems.
Who gets dermatitis at work?
Some jobs are associated with an increased risk of dermatitis. Hairdressers become allergic to hair dyes. Construction workers get skin disease from cement. Nurses handle plaster of paris and wear latex gloves. Assembly workers in modern industries are exposed to spray paints and glues which are a well-known cause of dermatitis.
Is there anything you can do to prevent occupational dermatitis?
The first thing to do is to ask questions about the chemicals or substances you come in contact with as part of your daily work routine. Education about the risk is the key to prevention and while there is an onus on your employer to provide information, you, the employee, ought to be curious and absorb all available information.
If you are not happy with the amount of detail provided by your employer, inform your safety representative. They should be able to access each product material safety data sheet (MSDS), outlining the constituents of the product. If your employer does not make this relevant information available to you, contact the Health and Safety Authority.
The Health and Safety Authority website is www.hsa.ie