Reports of reduced work ability were significantly associated with both an increased risk of onset of LTSA and early retirement from the labour market, after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle variables.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of an intervention to reduce work related skin problems in gut cleaning departments in Danish swine slaughterhouses. The intervention consisted of an evidence based prevention programme and a documented method for implementation. Methods: Randomised controlled intervention study with a one year follow up. The intervention included educational activities and evidence based recommendations. The effect of the intervention was evaluated by telephone interviews using a standardised questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) with modified and additional questions on exposure, preventive measures, information, and discussions on prevention of skin problems, etc. Results: A total of 644 (87.5%) responded at the baseline interview and 622 (71.6%) at the one year follow up interview. A total of 495 participated in both interviews (67.3%). In the intervention departments the frequency of eczema on hands or forearms within the past three months at follow up was reduced significantly from 56.2% at baseline to 41.0% at follow up, while a slight non-significant increase was observed in the comparison departments (from 45.9% to 50.2%). The intervention activities resulted in more frequent use of protective gloves in general and the use of cotton gloves worn underneath rubber and plastic gloves. At follow up three times as many in the intervention departments used the recommended high fat skin care products introduced as part of the intervention activities. At follow up, discussion of skin problems was increased in the intervention group while no changes were observed in the comparison group. Conclusions: A significant 27% relative reduction of occupational eczema in a high risk group was feasible through implementation of an evidence based prevention programme.F or many years occupational skin diseases have been the most frequent recognised work related diseases in many industrialised countries. 1 2 Despite considerable knowledge on risk factors and prevention of occupational skin diseases obtained from clinical, epidemiological, and experimental studies, the eczema frequency in the working population remains high and has even increased in some populations. [2][3][4] Occupational skin diseases are often chronically relapsing, 5 they affect workers early in their working age, 3 6 impair their health related quality of life, and the social and economic impacts are often severe. 7-9 Wet work occupations, such as the healthcare sector and the food processing industry represent major risk groups. 6 A study from Japan made in 1983 found skin symptoms in 65.1% of 527 workers in four poultry slaughterhouse workers: most symptoms were caused by wet work. 10 Different kinds of evidence based prevention programmes have with more or less success been introduced in different occupations. [11][12][13][14][15] The working conditions in the food processing industry often involve wet work, various skin irritants, allergens (from, for example, foods, soaps, and disinfectants), and h...

Unfortunately, the co-authors names were missed in the author group of the online published article. The corrected version of author group and their aYliations are given below.

Musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and shoulder area are a major occupational concern in the European countries especially among elderly females. The aim was to assess these disorders based on quantitative EMG indicators and functional tests. 252 female computer users (45-68 years) were recruited from four European countries in two contrast groups: (1) 88 neck/shoulder (NS) cases reporting trouble in the neck and/or shoulder region for more than 30 days during the last year, and (2) 164 NS-controls reporting such trouble for no more than 7 days. Questionnaires, functional/clinical tests, and physiological recordings were performed in workplace related field studies. The results showed no differences in anthropometrics but NS-cases reported more strained head positions and more eye problems than controls. The psychosocial working factors were similar, although, NS-controls had slightly better scores on working conditions, general health, and vitality compared to cases. The NS-cases had lower maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during shoulder elevation (mean (SD) 310 (122) N) compared to the controls (364 (122) N). During 30% MVC electromyography (EMGrms) in the trapezius muscle was lower in NS-cases (194 (105) muV) than in controls (256 (169) muV), while no differences were found regarding endurance time. Estimated conduction velocity was not different between NS-cases and -controls. Four functional computer tests were performed equally well by NS-cases and -controls, and the corresponding EMG variables also did not differ. A major finding in this large-scale epidemiological study is the significantly lower MVC in NS-cases compared with NS-controls together with lower EMGrms value at 30% MVC, while computer tasks were performed at similar relative muscle activation. The study was unable to reveal quantitative EMG indicators and functional tests that could objectively assess disorders in NS-cases.

The purpose of this study was to implement an evidence-based prevention programme to reduce occupational skin diseases in a wet work occupation by educational activities and elements from an occupational health-management system. The effects were studied by telephone interviews using a standardized questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) with trade-modified questions on work and exposure. The study population consisted of all employees at 5 cheese dairies. At baseline, October 2002, a total of 557 answered (83.8%). At follow up 1 year later, a total of 650 current and former employees answered (81.8%). At 4 of the 5 dairies, the eczema frequency at baseline was relatively low (11.8% and 5.9% at intervention dairies; 7.0%, 10.4% and 33.3% at comparison dairies). On all the studied dairies, about one-third of the workers reported having 2 or more skin symptoms at baseline. At follow up, skin symptoms were reduced significantly on all dairies. Effects restricted to the intervention dairies included significant increases in the use of gloves and moisturizers. The comparison dairy with high eczema frequency at baseline introduced skin-care products, changed hand soap and mowed employees with skin problems, away from adverse working areas during the intervention period, and the frequency of eczema was significantly reduced at follow up.