Epoxy-based production of wind turbine rotor blades: occupational contact allergies

An industry producing rotor blades for wind turbines with an epoxy-based technology had experienced an increasing number of workers with dermatitis, among whom the frequency of occupational contact allergy (OCA) was suspected to be underestimated.

To investigate the frequency of OCA by patch-testing with a specially profiled occupational patch test series.

In a blinded study design, 603 workers were first interviewed and thereafter clinically examined. Based on a history of work-related skin disease, clinical findings of dermatitis, or both, 325 (53.9%) of the workers were patch-tested with an occupational patch test series and the European Standard patch test series.

Of the 603 investigated workers, 10.9% had OCA and 5.6% had contact allergy to epoxy resin in the standard test series. Contact allergy to amine hardeners/catalysts was found in 4.1% of the workers. Among the workers with OCA, 48.5% reacted to work material other than epoxy resin in the European Standard patch test series.

Approximately 50% of the workers with OCA would not have been detected if only the European Standard patch test series had been used.