Dermatitis - cleaning
Aim
To raise awareness of dermatitis, and to provide advice and support to the industry.
Justification
Based on the EPIDERM reporting scheme, the incidence rate for dermatitis in cleaners is twice the all-industry average; in terms of annual numbers of cases generated, cleaners rank 4th highest of all occupations. EPIDERM also shows that exposure to soaps and cleaners is the main cause of occupational contact dermatitis; wet work, another feature of many cleaning tasks, is the 3rd most common cause.
Audience/Industry
Cleaning staff in premises visited as part of the Slips & Trips initiative.
Messages
- Dermatitis is a significant health concern
- It is frequently caused or made worse by work, when it is known as work-related dermatitis
- Work-related dermatitis can be long-lasting and irreversible; it can affect all aspects of someone's life
- Work-related dermatitis can be prevented by following three simple steps, A, P, C:
- Avoid contact with materials that cause dermatitis;
- Protect the skin;
- Check for early signs of dermatitis.
- It is important to recognise work-related dermatitis at an early stage - don't ignore the signs
- Employers have a legal requirement to protect their employees health at work
- Employees have a legal responsibility to protect their own health at work
Activities required
- Raise awareness of dermatitis during inspections. Provide information about the control measures required to prevent dermatitis, based on the Avoid, Protect, Check approach, as well as general advice on good practice control for exposure to cleaning chemicals, to address the potential for respiratory exposure.
- Check on uptake of good practice controls.
- This is an awareness-raising project so enforcement activity is not being sought, but there may be situations where enforcement action needs to be considered. In such situations, support from HSE’s Occupational Health Inspectors is available via your Partnership Team.
Timing
All year.
For information
Inspection guidance:
Further information on contact dermatitis can also be found on the HSE website:
Contact
catering@hse.gsi.gov.uk
