Dermal exposure, handwashing, and hand dermatitis in the rubber manufacturing industry

Skin diseases, such as hand dermatitis, are thought to be a common problem in the rubber manufacturing industry, as workers are exposed to a wide rang e of chemicals with known irritant and sensitizing potential. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of rubber manufacturing workers (N = 202), selected from nine different rubber companies. Prevalen ce of hand dermatitis ("major" and "minor" dermatitis) and skin injuries wa s assessed on the basis of a diagnosis by a dermatologist. We investigated the possible relations between actual skin exposure, handwashing practices, and hand dermatitis. Prevalence of major hand dermatitis (7%) was comparab le with that in the general population; however, minor signs of dermatitis were more common among the surveyed population (28%), as were traumata of t he skin (17%). Dermal exposure to cyclohexane-soluble agents at work was re lated to the occurrence of major hand dermatitis, but not to the occurrence of minor hand dermatitis. Moderate and frequent handwashing especially wit h industrial surfactants containing scrubbing particles were found to be st rongly associated with the occurrence of minor dermatitis [odds ratio = 4.2 7 (95% confidence interval = 0.90-20.27) and odds ratio = 6.38 (95% confide nce interval = 1.33-30.17, respectively)].