Please be extremely careful when using concrete, grout, sealants, etc. with bare hands. Please use gloves.
I understand that sometimes it’s more difficult with gloves on, but I think a lot of you don’t realize what’s actually being absorbed into your skin.
It is estimated that more than 13 million workers in the United States are potentially exposed to chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin. Dermal exposure to hazardous agents can result in a variety of occupational diseases and disorders, including occupational skin diseases (OSD) and systemic toxicity. Historically, efforts to control workplace exposures to hazardous agents have focused on inhalation rather than skin exposures. As a result, assessment strategies and methods are well developed for evaluating inhalation exposures in the workplace; standardized methods are currently lacking for measuring and assessing skin exposures.
OSD are the second most common type of occupational disease and can occur in several different forms including:
- Irritant contact dermatitis
- Allergic contact dermatitis
- Skin cancers
- Skin infections
- Skin injuries
- Other miscellaneous skin diseases.
