Where recommendations are written into HSE guidance rather than legislation,
that allows for the employer to take action which is different from the
guidance as long as they can show it be as good. Therefore, if we present
the info you have given us to justify taking a different route from that
advocated by the HSE, I would assume that to be acceptable We are still
complying with the legislation which requires us to protect our employees eg
under coshh, mhsw, and haswa.
Am I being unreasonably naive?
Wendy
Wendy Jones
Occupational Health Adviser
Loughborough University
01509 222851
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Packham" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: Latex in the NHS
| David
|
| There is considerable research into the effect of alcohol gels on the
skin.
| It you want some references I can provide them. All the studies show that
| alcohol gels cause less damage to the skin than soaps, particularly the
| anti-microbial types. There are situations where the switch to the alcohol
| gel appears to have caused a skin problem, but this is for other reasons
| that I would be happy to discuss with you off the forum. Yes, there is
| perhaps a case for more research into possible problems from alcohol gels,
| but, as I have said, the studies already done all tend to point in the one
| direction. Whether there is any case to consider that the switch to these
| gels increases the potential for latex sensitization is open to doubt. My
| contacts in Germany, where the alcohol gels have been in widespread use
for
| some time, indicates not.
|
| I appreciate that HSE is telling you one thing, but the scientific
evidence
| tells us otherwise. At a meeting organised for the DTI about two months
ago
| on the use of scientific evidence by the HSE in preparing their guidance I
| pointed this out to them (and presented them with a paper) indicating the
| errors in their guidance on this subject. Whether they will take any
notice
| of this is another matter, but it is not unusual in my field to find that
| HSE has got it wrong. I have had occasions when I have had to explain to
the
| HSE inspector that his requirement is actually creating a risk and to show
| him the evidence to this effect. Usually the inspector then agrees and
takes
| a more reasonable approach. (This does not apply just to latex, but to
other
| aspects of skin management as well.)
|
| We should not confuse the past with the future. Yes, there are cases of
| latex allergy already in existence, and these need to be treated
carefully.
| From my experience these are almost always following the use of powedered
| NRL gloves. The evidence from other countries (not just Germany, but
| Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands etc.) is that any risk of sensitization
| from NRL gloves is minimal provided that low protein, unpowdered gloves
are
| used. This is not new. As long ago as 1997 Dr Angelika Heese reviewed the
| scientific evidence and produced what is still - in my view - the best
book
| on this subject (Allergien gegen Latexhandschuhe). Her conclusion was
| exactly what I have stated, that, provided NRL gloves are low protein (max
| 50 ug/g glove) and unpowdered, any risk of sensitization is minimal.
Similar
| conclusions were reached in the more recent book: "Protective Gloves for
| Occupational Use" (Boman, Estlander, Wahlberg, Maibach eds., CRC Press,
ISBN
| 0-8493-1558-1).
|
| Question: Do we have to go along with the HSE when they are wrong or
should
| we be stating this, showing them the evidence and trying to get them to
| change their policy?
|
| Regards
| Chris
|
| EnviroDerm Services
| 2 Amery Lodge Farm, North Littleton, Evesham, WR11 8QY, U.K.
| Tel: 0044 1386 832 311
| Dermatological Engineering for a healthier workplace
| For more information about our support, services and technical aids, visit
| our recently revised website: (www.enviroderm.co.uk)
| For immediate help e-mail us at [log in to unmask] or phone on +44 1386
| 832 311
|
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