An analysis on the relationship between safety measures and dermatological complaints among printing industry workers in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Work-related skin diseases occupy approximately 50 percent of total occupational illnesses and areresponsible for an estimated 25 percent of all lost workdays globally in many industries including printing industries.This study aimed to reveal the characteristics of dermatological problems and safety measures among printing workersin Bangladesh. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 conveniently sampledprinting workers from 51 factories in September 2018. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the risk factors for dermatologicalproblems. Results: Among 196 respondents 74.0% experienced dermatological problems after joining a printingjob. Only 30.1% of respondents were found using personal protective equipment (PPE). No use of PPE, barriercream, hand washing more than 4 times a day, and duty in the printing process had a significant association with skinproblems (P<0.001). In the printing process, the workers who handled papers, chemicals, and machines and wereinvolved in cleaning machinery had a higher prevalence of dermatological problems. Logistic regression analysisshowed a significant association of skin problems among printing workers in Bangladesh with male (OR 0.23; 95%CI 0.06–0.98), higher monthly salaries (OR 17.98; 95% CI 3.14–103.08) and shorter daily work hours (OR 0.01;95% CI 0.01–0.56). Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of dermatological problems among printingworkers in Bangladesh. PPE usage, avoiding excessive hand washing, and hand cream would be helpful in avoidingdermatological problems among printing workers in Bangladesh.