A new sampler to assess dermal exposure during wet working

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Dermatology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Wet work is a significant cause of contact dermatitis in the UK, accounting for ~30% of reported cases.
• Current assessment of dermatitis risk relies on subjective recall, lacking objective measures for hand wetness duration and frequency.
• Understanding objective exposure is vital for effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a practical electronic sensor for quantifying hand wetness exposure.
• To provide an objective tool for measuring the duration and frequency of hand wetting events.
• To enable more accurate risk assessment for contact dermatitis related to wet work.

Main Methods:

• Development of a finger-worn electronic sensor detecting wetness via evaporative cooling.
• Recording sensor output to electronic memory for data logging.
• Utilizing a data processing algorithm to calculate exposure frequency and duration.
• Testing the device in diverse environmental conditions and standardized wet-work tasks.

Main Results:

• The electronic sensor successfully detected wetting events across all standardized tests.
• Measured proportion of time hands were wet ranged from 15% to 49%, with a mean of 30%.
• Environmental factors like temperature shifts and air movement showed minimal practical impact on device performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed IOM Wet-Work sampler offers a reliable method for objective measurement of hand wetness exposure.
• This tool has the potential to significantly improve the assessment of contact dermatitis risk in occupational settings.
• Objective exposure data can inform targeted interventions and workplace safety protocols.