[Dermatologic aspects of glass-fiber production]

Workers in glassfiber industry are prone to develop skintroubles. Therefore an investigation was made to the factors responsible for symptoms. Patchtests were performed in 66 out of totally 160 workers on the spinfloor (spinners) with a standard series of common contact allergens and with raw materials and finishers used in glassfiber industry. In 36 (54%) persons positive tests were observed. Epoxy resin was found to be the most prominent allergen; 16 (or 24%) reacted to the substances. Positive reactions to finishers for the most part were caused by a hypersensitivity to this resin. Only 4 out of 56 spinners, intensively investigated for skintroubles, were found symptom-free. Besides burn and traumatic reactions to glassfiber the skintroubles ranged from a practically normal skin with some vesicles to extensive erythematous and papulous eruptions at the limbs, neck and face. Countings were made of the number of glassfibers present at the skin of the spinners after the end of the work. It was found that even after showering a great many glassfiber remain at the skin. The investigations indicate that skintroubles in workers in glassfiber industry may be elicited by two factors: an allergy to substances in the finishers, and traumatic (irritative) effects of glassfiber penetrating the skin.