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Background: Occupational skin diseases often affect the hands and can lead to consequences at both the individual and the social level. Objectives: To investigate and quantify the association between self-reported occupational skin contact with cleaning agents and subsequent transition to disability pension. Methods: A sample of 8337 employees between 18 and 59 years of age participated in the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study in 1990, 1995, or 2000. They were followed up regarding disability pension until 2006 using the DREAM register on social transfer payments for all inhabitants in Denmark. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the impact of occupational exposure to cleaning agents on subsequent disability pension. Results: Among women, 11% of the disability pension cases were attributable to exposure to cleaning agents and/or disinfectants. Conclusions: The study suggests a potential for prevention of work-related disabilities among job groups exposed to cleaning agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to implement an evidence-based prevention programme to reduce occupational skin diseases in a wet work occupation by educational activities and elements from an occupational health-management system. The effects were studied by telephone interviews using a standardized questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) with trade-modified questions on work and exposure. The study population consisted of all employees at 5 cheese dairies. At baseline, October 2002, a total of 557 answered (83.8%). At follow up 1 year later, a total of 650 current and former employees answered (81.8%). At 4 of the 5 dairies, the eczema frequency at baseline was relatively low (11.8% and 5.9% at intervention dairies; 7.0%, 10.4% and 33.3% at comparison dairies). On all the studied dairies, about one-third of the workers reported having 2 or more skin symptoms at baseline. At follow up, skin symptoms were reduced significantly on all dairies. Effects restricted to the intervention dairies included significant increases in the use of gloves and moisturizers. The comparison dairy with high eczema frequency at baseline introduced skin-care products, changed hand soap and mowed employees with skin problems, away from adverse working areas during the intervention period, and the frequency of eczema was significantly reduced at follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]