Occupational Skin Management

The Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland in association with EnviroDerm Services are running a 2 – Day course on the prevention of damage to health from workplace skin exposure.

Date:
27th - 28th May 2009

Venue:
Radisson SAS Hotel, Little Island, Cork.

Course Aim: To provide participants with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of the interaction between the skin and the (working) environment and the practical methods that can be used to prevent skin exposure resulting in damage to health.

Pre-course reading: In order to allow more time to be given to the practical aspects of the course, (pre-paid) participants will be provided with documentation which they will be requested to read prior to the course. These will comprise information on the functions of the skin and how it acts as a barrier and an example of a workplace survey which will be used during the course as the basis for a risk assessment.

Course places are limited so early booking is recommended.

Lunch and refreshments are included.

Fee:

Non-members are welcome. Members - € 250 Non-members - € 300 Secure online payment is available using the PayPal button here.

Membership Member €250.00 Non-member €300.00 Your Name Organisation Name

COURSE PROGRAMME

Day 1 – Wednesday 27th May 2009

Introductions

Definitions

• What do we mean by skin management, skin care and dermatological engineering?

The legal position

• A brief overview of Irish health and safety legislation and how it applies to occupational skin management.

Effects of exposure

• How is the skin affected by exposure to the working environment and what can be the consequences.

Risk assessment for skin exposure

• Problems associated with skin exposure risk assessment.
• Factors involved in assessing chemical hazards in the working environment.
• Identifying routes of skin exposure.
• A structured approach to assessing the significance of skin exposure.
• Practical case study.

Risk management

• Controlling the process not the person – the hierarchy of controls for skin exposure.
• Examples of risk management by controlling the process.
• Selection and use of personal protective equipment, in particular gloves, for skin protection.

Day 2 – Thursday 28th May 2009

Skin health surveillance

• Why and when should we use skin health surveillance?
• What are the options?
• Questionnaires – biological monitoring – visual/tactile examination – skin bio-engineering techniques.
• (This session will include practical exercises in visual examination and the use of skin analysis equipment)

Personal hygiene

• The rules for personal hygiene (skin care) – selection and use of products – washroom design and equipment.

Investigating a suspected skin problem

• A structured approach to investigating a suspected case of occupational skin disease – liaison with medical specialists (dermatologists) – managing the problem to keep the employee at work.

Developing and maintaining an effective skin management system

• How do we use what we have learned to develop and maintain a system that will minimize the potential for damage to health arising out of what we do?

Participants are encouraged during the course to ask questions and raise particular issues of concern. All participants will receive a comprehensive set of documentation relating to the material covered during the course.

Course Leaders : Chris Packham and Helen Taylor, EnviroDerm Services Ltd (UK).

Chris Packham FRSPH, FInstSMM, MCMI, MIIRSM, MBICSc
Chris describes himself as an engineer who, thirty years ago, wandered into dermatology and has never found his way out!. Chris combines extensive experience in a wide variety of engineering and technical environments with an in-depth knowledge of how the skin interacts with the environment to develop methods for indentifying workplace hazards, assessing their significance, and finding simple, practical, cost-effective ways of controlling any unwanted exposure. He also has considerable experience in investigating and managing workplace skin problems, usually involving collaborating with dermatologists and other medical specialists. Chris’s work has taken him to many countries, including much of Europe, USA, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia. He is a regular lecturer at U.K. universities. He is a member of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis and the British Contact Dermatitis Society.

Dr. Helen Taylor PhD, BSc, FRSPH, MIBiol
Helen has had a long term interest in the prevention of occupational ill health due to skin exposure, having grown up with involvement in this area due to her parents, Chris and Hilary Packham. Helen holds a BSc in Applied Biology and has completed a part time research PhD investigating new techniques for skin health surveillance. The major part of her work involves surveying workplaces for dermal hazards and recommending solutions to dermal exposure problems, setting up skin health surveillance systems, training, both for occupational health, safety and hygiene personnel and in-house for management and workforce. Helen is a specialist in the use of equipment for the characterization of the skin for research and produce efficacy testing.