Health and Safety Executive

Table THORS06

Occupational dermatitis: estimated number of diagnoses in which particular causative substances were identified. Reported by dermatologists to EPIDERM and by occupational physicians to OPRA during 2006-2008

Substance(a) Dermatologists and occupational physicians(p) Dermatologists (EPIDERM)(p) Occupational Physicians (OPRA)(b)(p)
Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total
Rubber Chemicals and materials 345 18 226 15 119 25
wet work 318 16 277 19 41 9
soaps and cleaners 406 21 322 22 84 18
nickel 107 5 106 7 1 -
personal protective equipments (PPE) 263 13 151 10 112 24
resins and acrylics 121 6 102 7 19 4
preservatives 92 5 85 6 7 1
foods and flour 114 6 110 7 4 1
cutting oils and coolants 40 2 27 2 12 3
petroleum and products 66 3 58 4 8 2
chromium and chromates 117 6 108 7 9 2
solvents and alcohols 46 2 37 2 9 2
aromatic amines (PPD) 148 8 148 10 - -
fragrances and cosmetics 65 3 64 4 - -
cobalt and compounds 88 5 88 6 - -
hairdressing chemicals 130 7 125 8 4 1
aldehydes 37 2 36 2 1 -
other biological substances 86 4 78 5 9 2
friction 45 2 44 3 1 -
colophony and flux 46 2 46 3 - -
bleachs and sterilisers 103 5 81 5 22 5
irritants (unspecified) 59 3 47 3 12 3
glues and paints 29 1 28 2 1 -
cements, plaster and masonry 20 1 12 1 9 2
temperature and humidity 34 2 25 2 9 2
medications 46 2 22 2 23 5
metals and compounds 52 3 39 3 12 3
acids and caustics 18 1 13 1 5 1
Other Unspecified Chemicals 19 1 6 - 13 3
Other Substances 157 8 124 8 33 7
Not Known 49 2 32 2 17 4
Total number of causative substances(d) 3266   2667   596  
Total number of cases(e) 1951   1482   469  

Notes

  • (a) Figures are shown in light type if they are based on fewer than 10 actual cases.
  • (b) Comparisons based on OPRA reports are likely to be misleading because workers in some occupations are much more likely to have access to occupational physicians than those in others.
  • (c) Some physicians report on a sample basis, for one month in each year. Estimated totals for these are calculated by multiplying the actual number of cases reported by 12.
  • (d) Some diagnoses have more than one causative substance reported.
  • (e) Since some diagnoses have more than one substance reported, percentages do not sum to 100.
  • "-" can mean zero or rounds to zero.
  • (p) Provisional.

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Updated 11.09.09