OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 15.04.2016

Skin protection advice from the HSE

Get healthy. At the start of April 2016 we informed you that the HSE has rolled out a new strategy: Helping Great Britain work well ( yr.14, iss.14, pg.1 , see The next step ). One of its main aims is to reduce occupational ill health. Part of this involves the HSE revising its guidance. One of the first publications to be looked at is Preventing contact dermatitis and urticaria at work (INDG233 (rev2) (see The next step ). This explains: (1) the risks associated with dermatitis and urticaria; (2) what steps employers can take to reduce the risks; and (3) how to stay on top of legal duties. The revised guidance doesn’t include new duties, but it’s been updated to make your obligations easier to understand.

Why focus on skin? Contact dermatitis is the most common type of occupational skin disease. It affects workers in most sectors and in particular the construction, manufacturing, beauty, health care and cleaning industries. So as the HSE is looking to make inroads into cases of occupational health, you can expect the prevention of skin complaints to be high on its agenda - especially during inspections.

Effects. The most common symptoms of contact dermatitis are flaking, blistering, swelling and cracking of the skin. Urticaria typically shows as swelling and a reaction, e.g. a nettle rash.

Tip 1. Don’t assume that you need to be a high-risk business using industrial chemicals before you have to think about this issue. Even kitchen cleaning products have the potential to cause a skin complaint. Tip 2. When buying chemicals (including low-risk ones), check the safety data sheet to see if the product could cause skin irritation. If it could, try to substitute the product. If you can’t do this, you need to provide protection. For example, design processes so that contact with chemicals is minimised. Finally, consider providing staff with gloves and barrier creams.

For a previous article on the HSE’s strategy and its guidance on preventing contact dermatitis and urticaria, visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk/download (HS 14.15.01).