Occupational Skin Disease Regulations and Standards

Employers have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment for their employees. This includes taking steps to prevent risks associated with occupational dermatitis and other skin diseases caused by working environments.

The failure to provide a safe working environment can have serious consequently for both employees and businesses, from poor staff morale to lost productivity because of staff absence, and even financial or, in severe cases, criminal penalties.

To ensure you are fulfilling your responsibilities as an employer, find out about the legislation and standards regarding skin safety in the workplace.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the overarching standard which lays out the generic safety standards which must be adhered to in the workplace. In addition to this, there are more specific standards which are relevant to individual sectors and the associated hazards, including skin safety.

One of the main standards to do with skin safety is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations. They detail what is classed as a hazardous material and at what volume it becomes a risk. It also outlines the methods which should be used to prevent and control the risk of different occupational conditions.

Other relevant relations include:

• Chemical Hazard Information and Packaging (CHIP)
• Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP)
• Restriction Evaluation Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH)

CHIP, CLP and REACH are designed to identify the hazards associated with chemicals, ensure that users are provided with accurate information (including health and safety data sheets) and enforce safe packaging. Employers need to take note of these warning symbols and risk and safety phrases when assessing substances which may represent a danger to the skin.

As an employer, you have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment for your employees. The key regulations relating to skin safety include:

It is an employer's duty of care to assess the risks which could cause occupational dermatitis and to take the necessary steps to prevent it. Where it is not possible to prevent exposure, everything possible should be done to minimise it. As part of this effort, employers should provide protective clothing wherever necessary and ensure the right hand care facilities are readily available.

A health and safety manager, or a responsible person, should be appointed to make sure that health and safety measures are being adhered to at all times. Employees need to be made aware of the possible dangers of occupational dermatitis and other skin diseases. To assure this, employers should provide thorough training and an ongoing programme of education. Where required, periodic medical inspections should be carried out. This is a legal requirement in certain industries, which are covered by COSHH regulations.

The most effective way to protect your workers and maintain skin management starts with a risk assessment. Once you have identified all the potential hazards in your workplace, you can consult the official legislation to find out how you should mitigate the risk.

Your plan of action may include making amends to Safe Work Practices (SWP) to minimise exposure to hazardous conditions and contaminants. In some instances, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can be used to reduce the risk. Once these avenues have been explored and implemented you should turn to skincare.

At Arco, we have a comprehensive range of skincare products that are suitable for different types of skin conditions, environments and usage to help reduce the risk of occupational dermatitis in the workplace.