Morning Chris,
Having just received a faxed copy of Marks report, would yopu like me to
fax YOU a copy??
It still leaves me with a problem!!
Jean
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Chris Packham
Sent: 16 March 2007 22:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] skin checks
Gina
Having now got back to the office I thought I should put something in an
e-mail on this topic.
COSHH deals with health surveillance in a general way. More specific to
skin is the requirement as set our in MS24 (Medical aspects of
occupational skin disease). This states:
=====
". . . employers are required to arrange for employees to receive
suitable health surveillance where there is exposure to a substance
known to be associated with skin disease or adverse effects on the skin
and where, under particular working conditions, there is a reasonable
likelihood that the disease or effect may occur."
=====
Since water is the most common cause of occupational contact dermatitis
(wet
work) and since wearing occlusive gloves is equivalent to wet work, my
view would be that, based on the limited information in your e-mail,
skin health surveillance should be considered as essential. Frequent
hand washing will increase the potential for skin problems so, even if
your record up tonow does not indicate that this can happen, in your
situation I would want to make sure that I am covered.
Keep in mind that most irritant contact dermatitis is multifactorial and
chronic, i.e. repeated exposure to many different irritants (and in this
context water is a skin irritant) over an extended period. The
accumulated damage from irritants on the skin can build unseen and
unfelt (the Malten concept of cumulative irritant damage) possibly over
many years until the skin finally succumbs. Ask yourself the question:
"What would be my position if, having decided not to do skin health
surveillance, there were then one or more cases of occupational contact
dermatitis?"
Incidentally, this sub-clinical, cumulative damage can be detected and
quantified by measuring residual skin hydration using a simple,
non-invasive technique. This provides a pre-emptive approach to irritant
contact dermatitis helping to reduce the incidence of this, most common,
cause of occupational skin problems.
If you want to know more on this, give me a call.
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please remove this footer before replying.
For list archives and documents, go to
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html
FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES AND EVENTS:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH
For Occupational Health jobs, go to http://OHJobs.drmaze.net
Find out about Occupational Health Nursing Education in UK at
http://home.wlv.ac.uk/~in6232/aohne/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please remove this footer before replying.
For list archives and documents, go to
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/occ-health.html
FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES AND EVENTS:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/filearea.cgi?LMGT1=OCC-HEALTH
For Occupational Health jobs, go to http://OHJobs.drmaze.net
Find out about Occupational Health Nursing Education in UK at
http://home.wlv.ac.uk/~in6232/aohne/
|
