Work-related skin disease

Work-related skin disease continues to be common, particularly in certain occupations, and can be severe in some cases.

The latest information shows:

• Reporting by GPs during 2009-2011 suggests there could be around 40 000 new cases of work-related skin disease per year (THOR-GP).
• The estimated annual number of new cases based on self-reporting of skin disease in the Labour Force Survey is substantially lower at around 7 000 (LFS).
• Reports of more severe cases of occupational dermatitis and other less common skin diseases from specialist doctors suggest there has been a reduction in numbers of new cases per year since the late 1990s (THOR-EPIDERM).
• The most common causes of occupational dermatitis are working with wet hands, and contact with soaps and cleaning materials (THOR).
• Florists, hairdressers and beauticians continue to have high rates of dermatitis (THOR).

Figure 1: Occupational contact dermatitis in Great Britain, 2005-2011