Print workers who use chemicals (inks, wash up solutions etc.) in the course of their work are at a higher risk of developing dermatitis than workers in general.
EPIDERM data has estimated that the annual average incident rate for printers between 2003 and 2005 was 18 new cases of dermatitis per 100,000 printers. This is 3 times greater than the all industry average. Most cases of dermatitis occur on the fingers and/or hands.
Employers can do a number of things to manage dermatitis in their own workplaces by: providing information and training to employees; selecting appropriate gloves for the job and ensuring employees use them correctly; selecting appropriate hand creams and ensuring employees use them; carrying out skin checks for dermatitis, and if necessary referring employees on for further medical diagnosis and treatment.
Preventing contact dermatitis at work [PDF 76kb] provides further information which employers should consider when making an assessment of dermatitis risks.
