Inventory of the chemicals and the exposure of the workers’ skin to these at two leather factories in Indonesia

PURPOSE: Tannery workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals. Tannery work is outsourced to newly industrialized countries (NICs) where attention into occupational health hazards is limited. In this study, we investigated the skin exposure to hazardous chemicals in tannery workers and determined the prevalence of occupational skin diseases (OSDs) at tanneries in a NIC. METHODS: A cross-sectional study on the observation of the working process and an inventory and risk assessment of the chemicals used. Classification of chemicals as potential sensitizers/irritants and a qualitative assessment of exposure to these chemicals. Workers were examined and interviewed using Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire-2002/LONG. RESULTS: The risk of OSDs at the investigated tanneries was mainly related to the exposure of the workers' skin to chemicals in hot and humid environmental conditions. In 472 workers, 12% reported a current OSD and 9% reported a history of OSD. In 10% of all cases, an OSD was confirmed by a dermatologist and 7.4% had an occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). We observed that personal protective equipment (PPE) used was mainly because of skin problems in the past and not as a primary protection against OSD. CONCLUSION: We observed a high frequency and prolonged exposure to many skin hazardous factors in tannery work although PPE was relatively easily available and which was generally used as a secondary preventative measure. The observed point-prevalence in this study was at the same level as that reported for other high-risk OSDs in Western countries and other tanneries in NICs. However, the observed point-prevalence in this study was lower than that reported in India and Korea. The results of our study and those of other studies at tanneries from other NICs were probably influenced by Healthy Worker Survivor Effect (HWSE)

Evidence-Based Management of Hand Eczema

Hand eczema is a common skin disease with a wide variation in morphology and a complex etiology based on endogenous and exogenous factors.The diagnosis of hand eczema is based on patient history, exposure assessment, physical examination, and the results of patch testing. Management of hand eczema starts with education of the patient on the etiology of the disease, and the needed changes in behavior regarding skin care and preventive measures, and avoidance of relevant exposure factors. In many cases, medical treatment is needed for successful management of the disease; use of medication can only be successful with proper education and avoidance of relevant exposure

Formation of In-Cu pairs in silicon during chemomechanical polishing

Wichert T, Keller R, Deicher M, Pfeiffer W, Skudlik H, Steiner D. Formation of In-Cu pairs in silicon during chemomechanical polishing

Copper in silicon

Keller R, Deicher M, Pfeiffer W, Skudlik H, Steiner D, Wichert T. Copper in silicon. Phys. Rev. Lett. 1990;65(16):2023-2026

Dynamic behaviour of Cd-Cu pairs in Si observed by PAC

Keller R, Deicher M, Magerle R, Pfeiffer W, Skudlik H, Wichert T. Dynamic behaviour of Cd-Cu pairs in Si observed by PAC. Nucl. Instrum. Methods B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 1992;63(1-2):202-204.Using the radioactive acceptor In-111 as PAC probe atom, Cd-Cu pairs in Si are observed after the decay of In-111 to Cd-111. In the temperature range between 100 K up to the dissociation temperature of the pairs (235 K) an increasing dynamic relaxation of the PAC signal is observed. The relaxation rate is reversible within this temperature range. This observation is discussed in the framework of the model of a local diffusion of the Cu atom over the four tetrahedral interstitial sites next to the substitutional Cd atom