‫‪PREVENTING CONTACT DERMATITIS‬‬

‫‪AT WORK‬‬
‫آ  و أآ  ا
 ا
‬

‫ﺍﻋﺪﺍﺩ‬
‫ﺃﺳﺎﻣﺔ ﺃﲪﺪ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ ﻣﺪﱐ‬
‫ﻣﺪﺭﺏ ﻣﻌﺘﻤﺪ ﺍﻷﻭﺷﺎ ﺍﻻﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﳌﻌﺎﻳﲑ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻣﺔ ﺍﳌﻬﻨﻴﺔ‬
‫ﻭﺍﻟﺼﺤﺔ‬
WHAT IS CONTACT DERMATITIS?

Contact dermatitis is inflammation of the skin caused by  

‫أآ
ا
 ه ا
ب ا ا
  ا‬
contact with a range of materials. These include
detergents, toiletries, chemicals and even natural ، $‫ اد ا‬، ‫   ااد  ا"!
ت‬
products like foods and water (if contact is prolonged or
‫ ااد‬+ $($)*‫ وا
ت ا‬$&
$$'‫وااد ا‬
frequent). It can affect all parts of

the body, but it is most common to see the hands affected.

‫ أو‬4 ‫ات‬3! 
‫
 ا‬2 01) .
$‫ وا‬$&‫ا‬,-‫ا‬
There are three main types of contact dermatitis:
، >‫ أاء ا‬$ < 3:; ‫ و' أن‬.(‫رة‬3'
■ irritant contact dermatitis: ‫ وه
ك‬.‫رة‬3C‫
 رؤ أي ا‬$@ 3+‫و'? أآ‬
■ allergic contact dermatitis:
: ‫  أآ
ا
س‬$>$&‫اع ر‬F‫ أ‬:
:
■ contact urticaria.

‫> ا‬FI $‫• أآ
ااد ا‬

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ااد ا‬
.
‫•ار'
ر
ا‬
Irritant contact dermatitis is caused ‫ ا!
ف‬M)> 0‫  ااد ا‬L ‫
ت‬$‫أآ
ا‬
by things that dry out and damage
the skin, eg detergents, solvents, ‫)
ت وات أو‬,‫ ا"!
ت وا‬+ ، ‫ ا‬O‫و‬
oils and prolonged or frequent .‫ا
ء‬  &‫واا‬ ‫ر‬3'‫ا‬ 
‫ا‬
contact with water.

Allergic contact dermatitis occurs

‫
ب‬Q
 ‫ث‬K $J
>K ))>‫أآ
ااد ا‬
when someone becomes allergic to 
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دة‬.
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something that comes into contact ‫

ت‬J (T 3" ‫ض 
دة ' أن‬3(‫ ا‬3:‫ أ‬.‫ة‬3)‫ا‬
with his or her skin. The allergic
reaction can show up hours or days WJX‫ ا‬0‫ وااد ا
&( ه‬.
‫أو أ
م  ا‬
after contact. Common causes L‫ا‬3‫ وا‬، 3(‫ ا‬O$!Q ‫ و 
ت‬$&
$$'‫وااد ا‬
include chemicals in cement, hair
products, epoxy resins and some .(4I‫ا‬ Z(T‫و‬ 0>‫)آ‬Y‫ا‬
foods.
‫ث‬K‫ و‬.$J
>K‫  ا‬OS ‫ع‬F 01
‫ر'
ر‬X‫أ
ا‬
Urticaria is a different kind of
allergy. It occurs within minutes of ‫ وااد‬. ‫ن د_
&^   ااد‬C] 01 [‫ذ‬
the material touching the skin.  Q‫!
زات ا‬a‫ وا‬$&‫ا‬,-‫ ا)

ت وااد ا‬+
Things like plants, foods and
natural rubber latex gloves can . Latex 0($)*‫ا*
ط ا‬
cause it.
WHAT DOES CONTACT DERMATITIS LOOK
LIKE?
The signs and symptoms of the
different types of dermatitis are ‫ار‬32‫ أ‬، ‫ ا!
ف‬.:

‫آ‬c !S‫اع ا‬FI‫اض ا‬3‫ا‬
similar. Dry, red and itchy skin is
usually the first sign. Swelling, ،3a‫ ا‬، ‫
درة ارم‬T ‫ و
دة 'ن أول‬.‫ ا‬01 '2‫و‬
flaking, blistering, cracking and .I
T ) ‫ان‬ '‫و‬ ^a‫ا‬
pain can follow.
Sometimes the consequences of .‫ < ا!ر‬eK ‫ ا
  ااد‬M_‫
'ن ا‬F
$2‫أ‬
contact with a material are
immediately visible. Sometimes .ij‫ري وا‬1 3$:h ‫ث ا
 دون‬K ‫ى‬3g‫
ن أ‬$2‫ ا‬01‫و‬
contact occurs without apparent ‫ و آ
ن‬02 >FX
T O M)> 
 ‫ آ‬، [‫و  ذ‬
effect. However, every contact can [‫( ذ‬T 3"‫ض و‬3(
T ‫اآ وداد‬3 ?Fk1 0&3 3$]
cause minute amounts of ‘invisible’
damage to the skin that can build ‫آ‬3 ‫>
ن أن‬F
 ' X ، ‫ا‬, .T
l
 ‫ة‬3$*S‫ا(

ت ا‬
up until more serious signs are .
>
T O&‫إ< ا(ر اا‬
seen. So, don’t be lulled into a false
sense of security.
WHAT ARE THE HIGH-RISK JOBS AND
WORKPLACES?

Certain workers are at

greater risk of developing  ‫!ض &آ‬%‫"! ا‬#  ‫ ا ن‬
dermatitis. They include ، ,-‫  ا‬+!‫أآ'!  )!ه '
ل ا‬
healthcare workers, ، +0"‫ وا‬،
%‫ وا‬، !/‫ ا‬-‫و‬
hairdressers, beauticians,
5/ ‫ل‬+‫ء وأ‬0‫ وا‬3+"‫ وا‬، 12%‫ا‬
printers, those in cleaning, ? ‫ وه>ا‬.( ;%:‫
ا‬9‫ا‬:
 %8) ‫ادن‬
catering and construction and .‫  " أن @ ا ة‬
workers using metalworking
fluids. But remember,
dermatitis can occur in just
about any workplace.
MANAGING THE WORK TO PREVENT
DERMATITIS

Following three simple steps

can prevent dermatitis: ‫ب‬%‫"   أن  ا‬: ‫"ات‬# ‫&ث‬E ‫و‬
:
‫ا‬

Avoid contact with materials
that cause dermatitis. .
‫ب ا‬%‫ ا‬0: %‫  ااد ا‬G&%‫ ا‬

Protect the skin.

Check for early signs of .
‫  ا‬H
dermatitis.

. ‫آ‬I ‫ !ة‬0‫  ا&ت ا‬JK,%‫ا‬

Examples of how you can avoid : G&%‫  ا‬L  1‫ آ‬+ 
'‫أ‬
contact are:
■ substitute a more hazardous ‫
 ي‬K%‫ن ا‬-‫•  & أآ'! أ 
اد ا;"!ة )ا‬
material with a safer ‫
(؛‬9:‫ ا‬+-‫ت ا‬2‫"رة  ا‬#
@‫أ‬
alternative;
■ automate the process; ‫ ا? ؛‬28?‫  ا‬P%‫•ا‬
■ enclose the process as much as ‫؛‬T%UH‫ ن وا‬S‫"ق ا
 @ ر ا‬8 JR•
possible;
■ use mechanical handling; ‫  ؛‬8 ‫; ام او ا‬%P‫•ا‬
■ use equipment for handling;
■ don’t use the hands as tools; ‫
ا
؛‬: %‫; ام ا??ت ا‬%P‫•ا‬
■ use a safe working distance. ‫دوات؛‬I
0‫ ي آ‬W‫; م ا‬%: ?•

!";‫  ا‬TX : ‫ة‬+‫•!ا‬

You can protect the skin by the
following: : 0
‫
ل‬g  ‫
 ا‬2 ['

■tell workers how to look after ‫
 ؛‬T 
(‫ ا‬$!$‫ < آ‬$
(‫? ا‬$ ■
their skin; ‫ ؛‬3>T ‫ه ]> أي ث  ا‬3‫آ‬, ■
■ remind them to wash any (T

 ‫ ا‬O$! $‫ل   أه‬aF ■
contamination from their skin ‫>؛‬-‫ا‬
promptly; ‫ ؛‬$_‫ ور‬O@
 ‫* أو‬a‫ ا‬3$1 ■
■tell them about the importance of (T‫) _) ا( و‬43‫
ت ا‬3'‫ام ا‬SJ‫■ ا‬
thorough drying after washing; ‫ا(؛‬
■ provide soft cotton or paper
towels;
‫ _!
زات ؛‬/ $_‫ وا‬T
 ‫
م‬a ■
■ supply moisturising pre-work and ‫) ؛‬J
 ‫ 
دة‬Q ‫آ  _!
زات‬h‫■ ا‬
after-work creams; MJ
‫
س ا‬a‫!
زات  ا‬a‫
ر ا‬$g‫■ ا‬
■ provide appropriate protective .
( 
‫  ا‬0‫) اد ا‬J
‫ ا‬$‫وا‬
clothing/gloves; ‫ ؛‬i$KQ‫
' ا‬T ‫!
زات‬a‫(
ل ا‬J‫ وا‬S ■
■ make sure gloves are made of )_ MJ
‫ ا‬W_‫ ا‬01 ‫!
زات‬a‫)ال ا‬J‫■ ا‬
suitable material; .
!
■ select gloves that are the right
size and right for the task to be
done;
■ use and store gloves correctly;
■ replace gloves when necessary.
You will also need to make sure  ‫& ا
دور‬P  ‫\آ‬%‫ إ ا‬ZH  R ‫[ ا‬8‫ا‬
regular skin checks are carried  ‫ !ة ?آ‬0‫ ا&ت ا‬+ ',0-, ‫
ت‬+ ‫!اء‬Z‫ا‬
out to look for early signs of .
‫ا‬
dermatitis.
■ Regular skin checks can spot
‫  ا
! اآ  ا‬2% ^, ‫
ت‬+ ■
the early stages of dermatitis. .‫ !ة‬0‫
ا‬H‫ ا!ا‬
■ Early detection can prevent .‫"رة‬# !'‫ أآ  أآ‬8  ‫ !   أن‬0‫ ا‬1/ ‫■ ا‬
more serious dermatitis from
developing.
.‫   ا;ذه &ج ا!ض‬%‫ ء  ا;"ات ا‬0‫■ ا‬
■ Steps can be taken to start ‫ وث‬H ‫ل‬%H‫ ا‬b‫! ا‬/ ، +: ‫ص   أن‬,‫■ ا‬
treating the condition.
b‫ إ‬Z,‫ وا‬، L c;‫ ا‬9@‫ ا! ا‬%‫!ة  ا‬5E
■ Checks can help indicate a d‫ ا‬3K ‫دة‬+‫إ‬
possible lapse in your
preventative measures and the
need to reassess the situation.