The science behind workplace skin disease and how to help prevent dermatitis in your workplace
To understand how to protect your employees, it's important to understand more about the causes of occupational dermatitis and other skin diseases.
Learn more about the construction and functions of human skin; the special requirements for mobile and outdoor workers; free tools to help in educating and auditing workers; complete our occupational skincare checklist to help minimise the risk of such diseases developing.
To understand occupational skin disease, it is important to explain how the human skin is constructed and how it functions.
The skin regulates the body's temperature. It senses heat, cold and vibrations. It wards off infections and retains body fluids. One of its crucial functions is to prevent substances and microbes reaching our internal organs, acting as a vital barrier. It is designed to perform this job perfectly, as long as the surface is unbroken by cuts, abrasions or disease, and its natural secretions are not removed or contaminated.
The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. This is the stratum corneum (also known as horny layer) and consists of dead cells, which are only loosely attached and in healthy skin, are being shed and replaced constantly. This outer layer is covered by an oily film called sebum, which is secreted by glands and helps the skin stay supple. Keeping this outer layer intact is extremely important.
Located below the epidermis, the dermis contains the nerve endings for touch and pain. It consists of fibrous and other tissues, but also holds three important and vulnerable components of the skin: hair follicles, sebaceous glands and sweat glands.
The hypodermis layer of the skin protects against pressure and impact, acting as a natural shock absorber for your body. External agents such as irritant substances, sensitisers or the working environment can upset the natural balance of the skin or damage its structure. This is when occupational dermatitis can occur.
Outdoor workers should receive special attention to reduce the risk of occupational skin conditions developing. Work in adverse weather - cold, heat, wet - can place an increased burden on the skin, making it more vulnerable to becoming sore or chapped.
Where possible, contact with dirty, contaminated water should be avoided. This can be done by implementing and adhering to appropriate procedures and wearing protective clothing. Where this cannot be avoided, the right pre-work creams should be applied.
Outdoor workers should also be protected from the risks posed by the sun. Prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun not only causes skin damage but can increase the risk of skin cancer as well. If UV protection is integrated into staff education on skincare, ideally combined with sunscreen that is widely available to workers, employers can take huge steps towards protecting their employees from this threat.
For workplaces where water supply is an issue, special cleansers are available for use without water. Hands should then be cleaned with soap and water at the next opportunity. Hand sanitisers, which kill germs and bacteria rather than physically removing dirt, are another option where access to soap and water is difficult or impractical.
For a skincare management system to be effective, real engagement from the entire workforce is crucial. Employees must understand the need for the implementation of such a system and the role that they play in making it successful.
To achieve compliance, employers need to do much more than put the right products in the right places. Training and education should be an ongoing conversation. Training sessions, videos, safety signs, personal issue cards and posters can all help to keep skin safety on everyone's mind.
Skincare systems that feature colour coding for each step can help employees to use the right product at the right point in the protection process.
Regular audits are important to monitor and review the effectiveness of a skincare management system. Our skincare experts can help provide annual audit services, assuring that dispensers work effectively and that the correct products are being used. Audits are also the perfect moment to identify opportunities for further improvements in compliance.
One-to-one interviews with staff can help to evaluate compliance, assess employee skin conditions and collect feedback from staff on what works and what doesn't. Audits should take into account any changes in the working environment in addition to changes in individual circumstances.
As part of our commitment to keep people safe in the workplace, we have created a package of support materials to help you implement an effective skincare programme.
If you've answered no to any of these questions, it's time to have a look at your processes and assessments around protecting the skin of your workforce.
Learn about the full extent of occupational skin disease in the workplace including the statistics, costs, and effects of this seriously underestimated skin condition - the health problem you may not know you have.
View our recommendations for the right skincare products including protect, cleanse, and restore creams and gels for all types of skin conditions, environments, and usage to minimise occupational dermatitis hazards.
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.
