When your skin comes into contact with dangerous substances or chemicals, you can be exposed to various diseases and injuries that can have lifetime effects on your skin and body. Skin exposure can happen through contact with cleaning products, oils, paints, adhesives, welding fumes, wet cement, and wood dust. Prolonged or frequent contact with water can also cause damage to one’s skin. Some of these things can be absorbed when they come into contact with the skin, causing disease and injury in various areas of the body.
The following have a high risk of skin exposure:
- Construction Industry
- Cleaning & Maintenance Work
- Food Service Industry
- Metal Workers
- Mechanic / Vehicle Repair
- Hospital Employees
- Hairdressing & Beauty Therapy
Common Work-Related Skin Disorders
The flowing are common skin disorders among workers from various industries and occupations:
- Irritant Contact Dermatitis: Can happen from exposure to a strong irritant or repeated exposure to a mild irritant. Occurs at the area where skin contact was made. Solvents, oils, acids and detergents can cause this skin condition.
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis: This happens when the body becomes sensitive to a specific contaminant over time. These kind of allergies stay with the affected person for the rest of their life. Preventing further exposure is the only way to control the symptoms. Nickel, hair dye, cement, leather, and certain foodstuffs tend to cause this type of allergic reaction.
- Contact Urticaria: Can be caused by an irritant or allergic reaction to a substance. Symptoms include red flaring, itching, swelling, and welting of the skin soon after exposure. Sneezing, a runny nose, or wheezing can also happen. Natural latex rubber found in latex gloves, hairdressing bleach, and seafood can cause contact urticarial.
Want to learn more about work-related skin disorder? Have you suffered a skin disorder caused by your line of work? Contact our Glendale team of attorneys to find out how we can help you today.