Medicolegal aspects of occupational skin diseases

Skin diseases, including chemical burns, are the most frequently reported of all occupational illnesses. More than 90 per cent of work-related dermatologic problems are contact dermatitis, and there is rarely anything about the location and appearance of these lesions to differentiate clearly from a dermatitis of nonoccupational origin. A complete and time-consuming history must therefore be taken, including documentation of nonwork activities.