Skin Health Surveillance

Occupational skin diseases are very common. Repeated contact with skin sensitizers and/or irritants can lead to dermatitis.

Companies who have employees working with irritant or sensitising agents are required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to control exposure and protect workers’ health. This includes provision of suitable Health Surveillance.

Latest Health and Safety Executive statistics suggest that in 2007/08, 20 000 people who worked in the last 12 months suffered had "skin problems" caused or made worse by work, this could include irritant or contact dermatitis, skin cancers and general exacerbation of underlying skin conditions.

Occupations that tend to need Health Surveillance include: electroplaters, hairdressing, catering, construction workers, people undertaking wet work, health care workers, printing, metal working, paint spraying, florists, horticultural workers, rubber manufacturers.

SheaOH Can help with Skin Health Surveillence by:

Providing skin health surveillance including a skin questionnaire and annual skin inspection
Confidential data management and reporting, with employee consent
Worker education at time of test
Permanently retained records (40 years)
Completed COSHH report for each individual to be kept at your company to demonstrate to regulators that you are compliant with the law
Training employees to be competent skins assessors, in the interim period of time
Advising on prevention of problems or how to overcome those that are developed /developing.