Dermatological hazards in the electronics industry.

D Koh; I S Foulds; T C Aw

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1990.tb01497.x

Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 2138951

Dermatological hazards in the electronics industry.

D Koh·I S Foulds·T C Aw

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The advent of the electronics age has resulted in the rapid growth and increasing importance of the electronics industry on a global scale. The main industrial processes are fabrication of semiconductor wafers, printed circuit boards, the assembly of semiconductor devices, printed circuit boards and the final electronic products. The process carry the risk of various work hazards, among them dermatological hazards. These include exposure to irritants and allergens during common operations such as soldering, cleaning operations, materials handling, procedures for control of static electricity and low humidity in the work environment. Even the use of protective clothing may be associated with the risk of dermatitis. In spite of the numerous dermatological hazards, the risk for work-related skin disorders among electronics workers appears to be low when compared to other industries. However, the vast size of the electronics workforce will contribute to large numbers of workers with occupational dermatoses. Occupational health personnel responsible for factories in the electronics industry should therefore be aware of the cutaneous hazards present, and how these may lead to work-related dermatoses.

Explore related subjects

Dermatitis, Occupational Electronics Female Humans Irritants Male Protective Clothing Journal Article Review

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

D Koh, I S Foulds, T C Aw. 1990. Dermatological hazards in the electronics industry.. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0536.1990.tb01497.x

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

[116-119th session of the Provisional Synthetic Material Commission of the BFR: Report from 10-11 November 2004, 13-14 April 2005, 23-24 November 2005 and 5 April 2006].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗

PubMed2007

Intervention implementation research: an exploratory study of reduction strategies for occupational contact dermatitis in the printing industry.

BACKGROUND: Occupational dermatitis is a problem in the printing industry but can be avoided through adequate protective measures. Research into intervention implementation is fundamental to the success of a formal intervention effectiveness trial. OBJECTIVES: The preliminary testing of four risk reduction strategies for occupationally caused dermatitis, which represent a range of approaches and cost implications. PATIENTS/METHODS: The strategies, the provision of (i) skin checks plus treatment advice; provision of (ii) gloves of the correct type/size plus use of an after-work cream; provision of (iii) information highlighting the problem of occupational dermatitis and (iv) development of a best practice skin care policy, were evaluated over 3 months in two non-randomly selected companies. A post-intervention evaluation into the effectiveness and efficacy of the intervention was also carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All interventions were found to be acceptable to some extent. No single intervention appeared to be completely effective. The most practical intervention appeared to be the regular use of gloves of the correct type and size. This preliminary intervention study has demonstrated an improvement in the skin condition of workers examined and points towards the need for further testing of risk reduction strategies for the prevention of dermatitis in the printing industry on a much larger scale.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗

PubMed2006

A new sampler to assess dermal exposure during wet working.

In the UK, approximately 30% of cases of dermatitis reported to the national surveillance scheme are associated with wet working or exposure to aqueous mixtures. There is evidence that the duration and frequency that hands are wet are key determinants of risk, but there are no objective methods to measure these exposure factors. This research aimed to develop a practical tool to measure the duration and the number of occasions hands are wet. We developed an electronic sensor that is worn on the finger, which detects wetness from evaporative cooling. The output signal is recorded in electronic memory and the frequency and duration of exposure calculated using a simple data processing algorithm. The device has been tested in a variety of environmental conditions and for a standardized wet-work task. Wetting events were detectable in all the standardized tests, with the proportion of time the hands were wet ranging from 15 to 49% (mean 30%). The electronic sensor is slightly affected by abrupt changes in air temperature and rapid air movements, but these do not seem to impose any practical limitations. This IOM Wet-Work sampler has the potential to provide reliable measurements of exposure that may be used to assess the risk of contact dermatitis.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗