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Occupational Skin Surveillance? (in manufacturing)
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Hi, I'm trying to implement a skin surveillance programme at work. (electronic manufacturing - staff are using meths, varnishes, thinners and possibly minimal exposure to solder fumes and vapours). I've delivered awareness training already about work related skin diseases, signs and symptoms to watch out for, how to report this etc, etc. We've asked staff to complete an annual skin assessment questionnaire, and we've proposed a quick monthly visual check of operatives hands so that we can identify and interven early on, should any symptoms develop. This is the part that staff are now objecting to; they don't want supervisors to look at their hands (Supervisors have been trained on typical symptoms to look out for).
My questioni is (as my Ops Director is asking me) is what other companies do this monthly visual inspection? I have explained that a) our external Occupational Health Nurse has advised this, b) the HSE also advises this under the higher level skin surveillance, so it is normal. My boss has also asked whether it would be sufficient for staff just to self certify each month; my feeling on that is that it's then not really us as the employer taking ownership of managing it, which doesn't sit right with me.
Has anyone else had a similar experience or could share some advice? I'm meeting with the union reps tomorrow, as they've escalated it. :( Any advice greatfully appreciated.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Many decades ago under the Chromium Plating Regulations 1931 - the secretaries (read admin staff) were trained by the company doctor (read OH) to examine staff - back then it was easier to enact as every Friday each employee had to go to the office to personally collect their pay packet. Self declaration is not a suitable route - generally men end up with more serious prognosis to conditions as they don't seek medical intervention quickly enough choosing to soldier on without seeing the doctor. By all means encourage self reporting but this really needs to be augmented with employer checks before any condition becomes so bad it affects either an individual or groups ability to work and your ability to timely report industrial dermititis under RIDDOR
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 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Many decades ago under the Chromium Plating Regulations 1931 - the secretaries (read admin staff) were trained by the company doctor (read OH) to examine staff - back then it was easier to enact as every Friday each employee had to go to the office to personally collect their pay packet. Self declaration is not a suitable route - generally men end up with more serious prognosis to conditions as they don't seek medical intervention quickly enough choosing to soldier on without seeing the doctor. By all means encourage self reporting but this really needs to be augmented with employer checks before any condition becomes so bad it affects either an individual or groups ability to work and your ability to timely report industrial dermititis under RIDDOR
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4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Self reporting on its own is not sufficient. The regulations require that health surveillance be conducted by a competent person and unless you have trained all your workforce to be competent you would certainly not be compliant. It is possible to train a group of people (e.g. first aiders/safety representatives/line managemers) to be competent to carry out a simple skin check, but only with support from occupational health.
The most common form of occupational skin disease is irritant contact dermatitis and this is almost exclusively due to repeated exposures to a wide variety of different irritants - at home as well as at work - resulting in asymptomatic damage to the skin. This damage accumulates until the skin finally succumbs and the damage becomes visible. Being asymptomatic it is undetectable by normal visual skin inspection. However, there is now a technique that enables this to be detected so that proactive intervention is possible. The technique is simple, non-invasive and completely safe. It involves a simple instrument that can measure residual skin hydration. If you need to know more on this PM me.
Finally I recommend that you consult the relevant section of the current ACoP for COSHH as the HSE have somewhat changed the requirements for health surveillance - and skin health surveillance in particular.
Chris
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2 users thanked chris.packham for this useful post.
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