skin protection

8/13/2019 Skin Protection

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Welcome to an on-line

health and safety awarenesspackage intended for staff

and students working within

UofE buildings on the LittleFrance campus.

Information contained within these pages is for use by University

of Edinburgh staff and students only.

HEALTH & SAFETY @ LITTLE FRANCE

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This on-line awareness

package is intended

principally for laboratory

workers handing substances

in the workplace that maypresent risks of dermatitis

etc.


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Last updated: March 2009


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Please take time to view the following

material, and direct any urgent

questions to your H&S Advisor, SeniorLaboratory Manager, the Little France

Buildings H&S Manager, or

confidentially to UofEs Occupational

Health Unit (the contact details forwhich are shown towards the end of

this presentation).

Thank you.


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Separate e-learning and awareness

packages are available on this web

site dealing with health and safetyimplications related to risk

assessment, personal protective

equipment, sharps injuries,handling cryogenic materials, spill

management, and ethidium bromide.


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Skin is a complex critically

important organ of the human

body, and has an key role inpreventing disease, partly by

representing a physical barrier

between underlying tissues andpotential sources of infection

and contamination by harmful

substances.


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Skin may be damaged by cuts

and abrasions, but also by the

action of some chemicals,

making it possible for hazardous

substances to breach the barrier

and come into contact withunderlying tissues, causing

damage or setting up infection.


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Skin may be exposed to the

potential for damage by:

SplashingImmersion

Deposition

Direct handling and contact

Contact with contaminated

surfaces


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Which, in turn, suggests several

useful means of avoiding contact:

Avoid immersing hands;Avoid direct handling;

Employ good technique; and

Avoid contamination, both

of surfaces and equipment,

but also of PPE.


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Skin may also be protected by

adding further physical barriers

(e.g.laboratory gloves).Gloves are not, however, a total

solution, nor should they ever be

considered as a first line of

defence.

But, where they have been

specified, they represent one part

of a Hierarchy of Controls.


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Hierarchy of Controls

Elimination

Reduction (substitution)Innovation

Controls

Personal protectiveequipment (PPE)

Discipline


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Note that in the hierarchy of

controls, PPE come secondfrom lastA long way down

the list.

In other words, for PPE to beeffective, all preceding

measures would have had to

breakdown and fail.


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In our buildings, gloves tend to

be worn for either one of twoquite different reasons:


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To protect us against stuff; orTo protect stuff against us.


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Whether our concern is to protect us

against stuff (chemicals, micro-

organisms, cryogens etc.), or to protectstuff against us (contamination of cell

cultures etc.), thought should be given

to selection of the most appropriate

glove material, risks that exist whichare associated with some glove

material, how and when they are to be

worn, and disposal of the used product

after concluding the work.


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Gloves for use in labs should not

however be worn outside labs where,

inevitably, they will come into contact

with door handles, banisters, lift

buttons etc.


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People following along behind will

have no idea whether the gloves areclean or contaminated, and whether

the door handle that they too will then

have to touch may be similarly

contaminated.


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Latex vsNitrile Gloves?

Some people become sensitised to

latex, though it is believed thatsymptoms of contact dermatitis in

latex glove wearers are often more

commonly linked to powders

associated with cheaper products.


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Some skin reactions have also been

associated with accelerators used in

some cheaper nitrile products.


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To minimise the risk of a reaction in an

already sensitised worker, or sensitising

someone who has not previously had a

problem, latex gloves have beenoutlawed in University buildings on the

Little France campus, unless a very

special case has been made for using

them, and a comprehensive riskassessment has been written, justifying

their use, and ensuring that the risk to the

user and all others has been adequately

controlled.


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If you have cuts or sores on your

hands, you should cover these with a

bandage as additional protectionbeforeputting on gloves.

Inspect gloves before putting them

on, and then again after putting themon, to check for tears or punctures,

and replace them at that point if they

become damaged.


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Naturally care should be taken

to ensure that gloves do not

become damaged during theprocedure.

If they do, you should discard

the damaged gloves, wash yourhands immediately and then

puts on fresh intact gloves

before recommencing work.


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And gloves should not be

worn for any longer thanthey are actually needed

to complete a task.

Take them off and let your skin

breathe for a while!


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It may seem self-evident, but if

the gloves have successfully

prevented contact with aharmful substance, they are now

contaminated, and care should

be taken when removing themto ensure that the substances

does not come into contact with

the wearers skin.


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Remove gloves carefully, trying

not to touch the outside of the

gloves with bare skin.


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Repeat for the other gloved hand,

using the inside of the first glove

as a means to avoid touching the

outside of the second glove with

your bare skin.

Wash your hands after discarding

the gloves, and consider applying

a moisturising cream.


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Dispose of gloves etcconsistent

with waste management policies

for Little France as set out in

Section 18 of the sites Safety

Manual to be found at:

http://www.mvm.ed.ac.uk/Little

France/mvmhlthsaf.htm

Waste Disposal


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In addition to contact with chemicals,

workers should be alert to the potential

for contact dermatitis arising fromprolonged or repeated immersion of

their skin in water (whether or not also

involving soap etc).


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Prolonged contact is typically for

periods of more than two hours per

day, and repeated contact is in excess

of twenty times per day.


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So, you might start by asking

yourself, Why do I even needto

be wearing gloves in the lab?

There are several possible reasons:

The stuff that youre working with

would be a problem if it got onto

your skin.The lab (or you) may not be entirely

free of contamination.

The need has been identified in a

formal written Risk Assessment.


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Of these, its the last one thats

most important, since

The risk assessment will havelinked the need for hand protection

to the hazardous properties of

substances that you may be

handling; andAnyway, you should knowif the

lab is contaminated.

And, if it is, then clean it up!


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The manufacturer or suppliers

product or material safety data sheet

represents a starter for ten

Look for references to

requirements for Personal

Protective Equipment(though you

might not always find these, andthat shouldnt be taken to mean that

the need for PPE does not exist).

But look first for Risk Phrases(aka

Precautionary Statements).


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Of these (in the example just

shown), in the context of skinprotection alone, particular note

should be made of Risk Phrases

R24 (Toxic in contact with skin),

R27(Very toxic in contact with

skin), R34 (Causes burns), and

R43(May cause sensitisation by

skin contact).

Risk Phrases


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Others that should alert the risk

assessor (in the same context, but

with a different chemical) are

R21 Harmful in contact with

skin.

R35 Causes severe burns.

R38 Irritating to skin.

R66 Repeated exposure may

cause skin dryness or

cracking.


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In the example that weve just

used (formaldehyde), the Risk

Phrasesrelated to skin toxicity,sensitisation and burns, suggest

that very serious consideration

needs to be given to protectingthose who may be handling it,

particularly their hands, and very

probably including gloves.


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Gloves may become damaged

for any number of reasons,

including the action of

chemicals.

Glove material varies in respect

of the ability to resist chemicals.

This relates to a property known

as breakthrough time.


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Glove breakthrough time may be

affected by:

Thickness of glove material;Concentration of the chemical that is

being worked with;

Amount of chemical the glove comes in

contact with;Length of time which the glove is exposed

to the chemical;

Temperature at which the work is done; and

Possibility of abrasion or puncture.


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And, just to remind you, the Little France buildings

policy is that onlyin exceptional circumstanceswilllatex gloves be permitted for use within the

buildings, and only then where very special care is

taken to ensure that users and others are not

adversely affected (including preparation of aformal risk assessment and safe system of work.


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Performance Rating

Gloves that have been performance tested

specifically against biological hazards willhave the biohazard pictogram on the

packaging along with the performance

rating.

Some gloves that are purely intended forproduct protection (e.g..clean room

gloves), or those intended for use against

minimal risks, will not have been tested

against biological hazards.


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Prior consideration of the task, together

with Material Safety Data Sheets etc, willguide preparation of a formal written Risk

Assessment.

The University of Edinburgh offers a

comprehensive menu of risk assessment

forms, covering a range of hazard types.

Risk Assessment


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Those likely to be of most relevance to this

package on personal protective equipment,

and the means to access the menu, are


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General Risk Assessment - Form RA1

and notes for guidanceCOSHH: Hazardous SubstancesForm

HS1 and notes for guidance

COSHH: Hazardous SubstancesForm

HS2 and notes for guidance

COSHH: Biological Agents - Form BA1

and notes for guidance

Radiation generic risk assessments

GM forms

SAFENET (http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk)


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It would be extremely sensible for

workers to declare any knownsensitivity to particular chemicals

and/or glove material to his or her

senior laboratory manager before

commencing work, so that thepractical implications can be

considered, and any necessary special

arrangements put in place.

Prevention is better than cure


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Workers (and managers) should be alert

to the signs and symptoms of contactdermatitis, which include dryness,

itching, swelling and redness and, in

more extreme cases, possibly also

flaking, blistering, cracking and pain.

Check for signs of dermatitis

All workers should check themselves

regularly for these signs and symptoms.


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The right type of cream may be

helpful, and they may provide someadded protection, but no cream

represents a total barrier to

hazardous substances.

Pre-work creams

In any event, creams should only

ever be applied to clean skin.


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Once again, the right type of cream

may be helpful.

For those with sensitive skin, creams

that are free of preservatives and

perfumes may be the best choice.

Post-work creams


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Observe allother site policies,

local rules, and relevant

containment laboratory and

COSHH-related precautions.

Defence in Depth


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Consider potential exposure pathways,

undertake risk assessment and design safe

systems of work;

Be alert to, and investigate, allcomplaints

and reports of dermatitis;

Take action to prevent incorrect working

practices and neglect of control measures

(including disregard or improper use of

PPE); and

Ensure that contamination is promptly

dealt with.

For Managers


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Report allaccidents and near-miss

occurrences, and any occurrence of

glove-related sensitivity, using the on-

line forms at:

http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk

in order to ensure that the circumstancesare investigated and, wherever

biological materials are involved, you

should also inform UofEs Occupational

Heath Unit ...

Accident Reporting


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UofEs Occupational Heath Unitcan be contacted on a confidential

basis for further information and

advice by telephoning 0131 6508190 or by emailing

[email protected]

Occupational Health Unit


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Occupational hygiene guidance, relating

specifically to gloves, and other sources offurther information, is available at:

http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk/resources/General/g

loves.shtm

And guidance on reporting occupational illhealth within the University is available at:

http://www.safety.ed.ac.uk/resources/Health/Ill

_health.shtm

Further Information


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Avoid contact with

harmful substances

In summary, its as simple as


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A P C

Protect your skin

Check for signs of

dermatitis


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Refer all enquiries to your H&S

Advisor, Senior Laboratory

Manager, the Little France

Buildings H&S Manager, or

confidentially to UofEsOccupational Health Unit as soon

as possible.

Problems and Questions


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You have now completed

this on-line awareness

package summarising key

aspects of protecting yourskin in the workplace.


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