A questionnaire study of road pavers’ and roofers’ work‐related skin symptoms and bitumen exposure

Abstract

Roofers endure greater exposure to chemicals than road pavers. Certain components, e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bitumen, can be absorbed through the skin. Skin exposure should be lowered by keeping the tools, working clothes, shoes, and gloves clean. Overalls and gloves are recommended to be changed at least once a week. Water laundering is not sufficient in dissolving bitumen from overalls and underwear. Cleaning the skin with solvents or naphtha is not recommended, as they are skin irritants.

Biomarkers of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and DNA damage: a cross-sectional pilot study among roofers in South Florida

“…12 In a previous study among Finnish workers, skin irritation was reported by 44% of the roofers and 31% of the road pavers who worked with bitumen. 54 However, no studies have thus far looked into the relationship between skin burn and levels of biomarkers of exposure in roofers. In our analyses, the existence of skin burn was an important predictor of PAH biomarkers.…”

Bitumen products alter bax, bcl‐2 and cytokeratin expression: An in vivo study of chronically exposed road pavers

“…Bitumens are dark solid or semisolid materials predominantly composed of asphaltenes, straight and branched aliphatic hydrocarbons, naphthene aromatics and resins. Some types of bitumen may contain higher levels of PAH 20 with lipophilic characteristics that could alter the skin hydrolipid film and cause disease 21 …”

“…In vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that bitumen products can induce irritant and allergic contact dermatitis in humans 21 and moderate hyperkeratosis and epidermal hyperplasia in rats 22 . Bitumen products may alter skin barrier integrity 23 by denaturation of keratin and other epidermal proteins, removal of superficial lipids, surfactant transport to the upper epidermal layers, cell membrane damage and direct cytotoxicity 24 …”

Bitumen (Dampf und Aerosol) [MAK Value Documentation in German language, 2001]

“…Von den Straßenbauarbeitern gaben 22% an, oft oder manchmal an �Dermatitis" zu leiden, im Fall der befragten Dachdecker lag der Anteil bei 15%. Als Ursachen für diese gesundheitlichen Probleme wurden von den Betroffenen jedoch nicht nur heißes und kaltes Bitumen angeschuldigt, sondern beispielsweise auch künstliche Mineralfasern (Dachdecker) oder Amin-haltige Produkte (Straßenbauarbeiter) (Riala et al 1998). Eine Fallbeschreibung befasst sich mit einem Mann, der einen Monat nach versehentlichem Hautkontakt mit kaltem Flüssigbitumen ("cutback", Lösungsmittel: Toluol und Benzin) im Gesicht diskoiden Lupus erythematodes entwickelte.…”