Occupational contact dermatitis in blue‐collar workers: results from a multicentre study from the Danish Contact Dermatitis Group (2003–2012)

Abstract

Contact allergy is a major problem among blue-collar workers. The data indicate a healthy worker effect among blue-collar workers diagnosed with dermatitis, as blue-collar workers were diagnosed significantly less often with atopic dermatitis than were controls.

Occupational Contact Dermatitis

“…24 In the cohort of 1471 blue collar workers, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, methyldibromo glutaronitrile, epoxy resin, 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol, and potassium dichromate had high rates of occupationally associated ACD. 13 In a study of 2889 patients referred for contact dermatitis, multiple allergens were strongly associated with occupational exposure, including thiuram, carbamates, epoxy, and ethylenediamine. 20 Another study found nickel sulfate, glutaraldehyde, and thiuram mix to be the most common occupationally related allergens in its 537 patients.…”

“…These findings are similar to other reports. 13,19,20 Health care professionals, machinists, and construction workers accounted for roughly one half of the 537 patients evaluated for occupational skin disease in 1 study, with house cleaners, food handlers, and janitors also being common. 19 Another study of 2889 patients suspected of suffering from contact dermatitis identified similar professions at high risk for occupational skin disease: nurses, assemblers, nurse's aides, machinists, hairdressers, and auto mechanics.…”

“…Retrospective analyses of 1255 health care workers and 1471 blue collar workers showed the hands as the highest frequency site of dermatitis in both studies. 13,14 In a cross-sectional analysis of 22,025 patients patch tested between 1994 and 2004, 31.6% had hand involvement, with the authors admitting probable underestimation because of coding methods. 18 The most common occupations referred for IME included health care workers, custodial staff, machinists, food service employees, auto mechanics, farm laborers, and construction workers (Fig.…”

“…20 Machinists, mechanics, painters, and metalprocessing workers were the most common professions evaluated for occupational dermatitis in a cohort of blue collar workers. 13 Blue collar work seems to be a risk factor for the development of ICD and ACD, likely because of employees' exposure to irritants and allergens in their respective labor.…”

Prevalence and risk factors of contact dermatitis among clothing manufacturing employees in Beijing

“…[4] Furthermore, exposure to certain metal working tools and contact with dermatitis-causing chemicals such as dyes and finish agents are known to be risk factors for CD. [4,5] Employees with the highest risk of development CD are those working in the healthcare, hairdressing, car repair, leather manufacture, and shoe manufacturing industries.…”