4%) Table 3 Demographic characteristics of the workers Character

4%). Table 3 Demographic characteristics of the workers Characteristics Preparation of beam house and pre-tanning Tanning Finishing Total Mean age in years (SD) 39 (10) 37 (9.8) 35 (9.8) 36 (9.6) Sex  Man n (%) 101 (28%)

105 (29%) 154 (43%) 360  Woman n (%) 10 (8.9%) 28 (25%) 74 (66%) 112 Mean working in months (SD) 73 (78) 73 (80) 57 (65) 65 (73) History of childhood eczema n (%) 6 (29%) 6 (29%) 9 (43%) 21 Hand eczema in the last 12 months n (%) 21 (33%) 17 (27%) 26 (41%) 64 Mean working hours/week (SD) 46 Ricolinostat price (9.9) 47 (9.4) 47 (7.3) 47 (8.6) Table 4 Result of the questionnaire and physical examination   Preparation and pre-tanning (n = 111) Tanning (n = 133) Finishing (n = 228) Total (n = 472) Workers without skin problem (NOSQ-2002) 80 (72%) 105 (79%) 188 (83%) 373 (79%) Workers currently reported skin problem related to occupation (NOSQ-2002) 13 (12%) 18 (14%) 26 (11%) 57 (12%) Workers with history of skin disease related to occupation (12 months) (NOSQ-2002) 18 (16%) 10 (7%) 14 (6%) 42 (9%) Workers with current occupational related skin disease (according dermatological examination) 11 (10%) 17 (13%) 21 (9%) 49 (10%) Workers with occupational skin Galunisertib research buy diseases  Occupational contact

dermatitis 6 13 16 35 (7.4%)  Pruritus 1 3 1 5 (1%)  Miliria and foliculitis 4 0 1 5 (1%)  Dermatophyte infection and intertrigo 0 1 3 4 (0.8%) We observed that 59% of the workers with a past or present skin complaint and 49% of the healthy workers used gloves. Gloves were generally made of synthetic rubber (49%) and fabric materials (36%). Other workers used polyvinyl chloride, Adenosine cotton and leather gloves (Table 5). Table 5 Use of glove in the tanneries   Past or present skin complaint No skin complaint Glove use 58 (59%) 181 (49%) No glove use 41 (41%) 192 (51%) Total number of workers 99 373 Discussion In our study, we were able to confirm the statement by Kolomaznik et al. that tannery workers have a high risk of exposure to

metal salts (mainly GSK461364 manufacturer chromates) at their workplace (Kolomaznik et al. 2008). Chemicals used in tanneries alter the structure of animal hide and therefore may have a damaging effect on the function and the structure to the worker’s skin. We did not find large differences between the results of our cross-sectional survey on OSD with a high risk for OSD in Western countries (Gruvberger et al. 2003; Flyvholm et al. 2005; Attwa and el-Laithy 2009; Skudlik et al. 2009). However, in the observed tanneries, many typical hazardous situations were seen. In a spray-painting section, we saw workers without proper PPE working in small rooms with poor ventilation had a higher exposure to hazardous chemical vapours. Awareness of occupational health risk appeared to be low. Basic PPEs were available, but were mainly used as a secondary prevention measure. In many cases, small changes based on awareness of the health risk could decrease the risk of OSD dramatically.

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