Posted By James Lumsden One of our employees has recently put a claim in for occupational dermititus, ive recently started at this company so any problems in the past are pre- me joining (lack of COSHH and Risk Assessments et al). The question is as he has dermititus with working with machine coolants, should I now remove him from any job that will bring him into contact with machine coolant. The employee does 4 hrs overtime every day and works Saturdays and Sundays, if he gets taken off that job he may say we are harrasing him as he has put a claim in, any job he will be given, unfortunatly for him will be on basic pay with be no overtime I feel I wouldl take him off the job as there is no sense in keeping him in harms way with the coolant, and we have to manage his safety. Any views would be appreciated

Posted By Paul Leadbetter James There are many questions to consider. Has the diagnosis been confirmed by a dermatologist (a GP's verdict may not be accurate)? Is the condition irritant or allergic dermatitis? How effective is your coolant management system? How can you minimise the contact between the affected individual and the coolant (removal from the job is only one solution)? Does the affected individual realise the importance of good personal hygiene? If the employee is sensitive to your well managed coolant and there is no other way to control his condition then removal to other work may be the only answer. Paul

Posted By Jeffrey Watt James Has a medic confirmed in writing repeat in writing that he has OD from working with the fluids in question? Have they done patch tests? Could be allergic to something else, tomatoes, new soap, etc. Jeff

Posted By Barry Wilkes All of the above sounds good advice. before removing him from any role I agree that cause and effect need to be established. It wouod be worth calling in an ooccupational health consultant to advise on the management of this case. It will be easier for them to get access to medical information and advise you accordingly on the cause of action. If anything goes pearshaped you have also taken competent advice which would stand up in tribunal/court. Regards Barry

Posted By The toecap Remeber the heirarchy of control. Can it be done a nother way? Can the machine oil be substitued for some thing else?

Posted By Chris Packham Metalworking fluids are the most common cause of occupational contact dermatitis in the engineering industry. However, around 80% of all such dermatitis is irritant contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis is almost never to a single chemical, but results from frequent, repeated insults from contact with many different chemicals. Until you know whether you are dealing with an irritant or allergic skin problem, it is difficult to advise on what is the best course of action. Dealing with each requires a different approach. It is possible to actually make matters worse by using an inappropriate treatment, e.g. topical steroid ointment for an irritant contact dermatitis. The only way to decide whether the dermatitis is irritant or allergic is through a clinical examination by a consultant dermatologist specialising in contact dermatitis (Many do not - choose your dermatologist with care!). He or she will almost certainly conduct a patch test to identify or eliminate an allergic response. If not allergic then it will probably be diagnosed as irritant, although a combination of irritant and allergic is almost always what we find in practice. Barrier creams can actually exacerbate the dermatitis and should never be used on damaged skin. In fact, the HSE do not recommend them as protection at all. Emollients (moisturisers) do work, but only if applied frequently - and should be a lotion as the thicker creams can actually make the skin more vulnerable to damage from irritants. You should get hold of a copy of MS24 - Medical aspects of occupational skin disease. You will find this offers some good advice. As you may have gathered, this is my particular area of interest. It's an area where there are many myths and misconceptions and where it is easy to take action that appears logical but that can actually be counter-productive. If you feel you would like to talk to me feel free to contact me direct (01386 832 311) and I will see what I can do in terms of advice over the phone.

Posted By danny4928 I'm sure that the guy was using a proper pair of glove (like Nitrile type) as a control from in contact with the coolant. Otherwise, this Dermititus subject wouldn't be posted. Sometime it's the attitude of the person working and compliance with the control stated in the "work instruction". Hope it helps

Posted By Hafeez-ul-rehman In my mind it quite good to put him off from the job.because his time of exposure will increase and may be fatal for him.you should replace him and next employee should be properly equipped according to PPEs recommendations.

Posted By Salus James your man is working 75+ hours per week, exposure time is a crucial factor. Plus if he is working 75+ hours per week,and i have not included overtime on Sat. and Sun; he will not be getting the rest periods under the working time regs. Might be stress related as well