Motor vehicle industry

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.

Causes

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.

Tips to protect your hands against eczema

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