Which professions are at high risk of hand eczema?

Eczema is one of the main causes of poor health for catering staff, such as chefs, cooks and catering assistants. Every year, the number of new cases is twice the average for all other industries. Frequent contact with water, e.g. washing dishes and hands a lot, and some types of food, e.g. onions and citrus fruits can cause hand eczema.

If you work in the catering industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• Use a dishwasher rather than washing up by hand
• Use tools to handle food rather than your hands
• Use a food processor instead of chopping or mixing by hand
• Wear non-latex gloves where possible, especially when cleaning
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a soft, disposable paper towel
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better
• If you moisturise during the working day, make sure you use an emollient that won’t contaminate food or cause cross-contamination - use a dispenser containing a hypoallergenic, non-tainting, fragrance-free emollient that does not contain nut oil

Did you know that in 1147 cement workers who were interviewed by telephone, 166 of whom went on to be examined and patch tested, the prevalence of skin problems was partly associated with a poor use of gloves? In the construction industry, there are many substances that can cause problems with the skin on your hands. A few of these are: ‘wet work’, wet cement, epoxy resins and hardeners, acrylic sealants, bitumen or asphalt, solvents used in paints, glues or other surface coatings, petrol, diesel, oils, greases, degreasers, descalers and detergents.

If you work in the construction industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• Where possible, eliminate or substitute substances or activities that cause hand eczema
• Make sure that you wash and dry your hands thoroughly
• Use pre-work creams to help make removing fluids easier, but remember that these don’t provide a barrier, and are no substitute for gloves
• Wear appropriate protective gloves
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better

Work-related contact eczema is the most common skin condition in dentistry. It is nearly ten times greater in dental nurses and seven times greater in dentists than the all-profession average. The main causes are rubber chemicals, soaps or cleaning products and ‘wet work’. People working in the dental professions may also be exposed to chemicals such as X-ray developing fluid, which can cause hand eczema.

If you work in the dental professions, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• If possible, use machinery and tools to clean equipment, rather than your hands
• When you wash your hands, make sure you have rinsed them thoroughly
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a soft, disposable paper towel
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better
• If latex gloves trigger your hand eczema, use suitable hypoallergenic gloves instead

Hairdressers suffer from contact eczema at a rate of 120 cases per 100,000 per year. One of the main causes of eczema in hairdressing is ‘wet work’. If your hands are in contact with water for over 2 hours a day, or if your hands are wet several times a day, e.g. if you shampoo 10 or more clients, you are at risk of developing hand eczema. The other main cause of eczema is contact with the chemicals in hairdressing products when shampooing, colouring or bleaching hair, or when using cleaning products.

If you work in the hairdressing industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• Wear disposable non-latex gloves when shampooing, rinsing, colouring and bleaching hair
• Change gloves in between clients
• Make sure that your gloves are in good condition, and don’t have any leaks
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a soft, disposable paper towel
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better

It is estimated that 1000 nurses develop work-related contact eczema each year and that this rate is nearly seven times higher than the average for all professions. Contact with cleaning products, ‘wet work’ or frequent contact with water and contact with latex gloves are common culprits.

If you work in the health service professions, there are simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• If possible, use machinery and tools to clean equipment, rather than your hands
• When you wash your hands, make sure you have rinsed them thoroughly
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a soft, disposable paper towel
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better
• If latex gloves trigger your hand eczema, use suitable hypoallergenic gloves instead

Among machine tool operators, there are 56 cases of contact eczema per 100,000 per year, and 34 cases per 100,000 per year among machine tool setters. Of 163 metalworkers who completed a written questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination and patch testing, 14.1% (23) were diagnosed with work-related contact eczema. It’s hardly surprising as metal machining involves the use of large quantities of chemicals and fluids that are often applied in a continuous jet or spray, which can cause hand eczema if the skin is exposed.

If you work in the metal machining industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• Limit your contact with substances that may cause hand eczema
• Reduce your chance of being splashed by using properly-designed splash guards
• Use pre-work creams to help make removing fluids easier, as well as after-work creams, but remember that these don’t provide a barrier, and are no substitute for gloves
• Wear appropriate protective gloves
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better

In those who work in car assembly, there are 35 new cases of contact eczema per 100,000 per year. 15.3% (312) of 2042 apprentices in the car industry who completed a questionnaire were found to have suffered from hand eczema within the last 3 years. Spray painters are seven times more likely to develop hand eczema than the average working population and body preparation workers are twice as likely. Frequent or prolonged contact with used engine oil may cause hand eczema, as can many cleaning and degreasing substances used in valeting. Exposure to fine dust during hand sanding can also cause eczema and wet sanding is particularly punishing to the hands - they are wet for prolonged periods as well as being exposed to physical and chemical assaults.

If you work in the motor vehicle industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• Avoid or minimise contact with substances that may cause hand eczema by adapting the task or process - try to substitute hazardous materials with safer alternatives, automate processes where possible, and use engineering controls, enclosures or local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
• Deal with spills quickly
• Keep workrooms clean
• Wash any contamination from your hands promptly
• Don’t use aggressive cleaners or solvents to clean your hands
• Use pre-work creams to help make removing fluids easier as well as after-work creams, but remember that these don’t provide a barrier, and are no substitute for gloves
• Wear appropriate protective gloves
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better

The printing industry has a rate of 71 cases of contact eczema per 100,000 per year. In 490 people working in the UK printing industry who self reported having a skin complaint at some time, the most commonly-affected areas were the fingers and the webs between them. Print workers who use chemicals, such as inks and washing up solutions, during the course of their work are at a higher risk of developing eczema than other workers.

If you work in the printing industry, there are some simple things you can do to help protect your hands against eczema.

• If possible, avoid chemicals that may cause hand eczema coming into contact with your skin
• Make sure that you wear protective gloves that are appropriate for the job, and that you use them correctly
• Protect your hands by moisturising them regularly with an emollient (soothing and softening skin product), but use a product that is free from fragrances and preservatives - the fewer ingredients, the better