New testing method helps protect workers - and their skin - from harmful chemicals

People who work in labs, factories and other workplaces are at risk for developing potentially serious skin allergies to the chemicals they use and encounter on the surfaces they touch. The allergies can be so severe that workers may develop chronic skin conditions and, at times, be forced to abandon their careers. But how can employers know that their workplace housekeeping measures are working and how can work areas be easily tested to protect employees?  Researchers, including Assistant Professor Susan Arnold from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health , are answering these questions with a new method they developed to set quantitative limits for a test that measures the presence of chemicals on surfaces, providing an objective way to verify the cleanliness of surfaces. The approach, co-developed by Arnold and her toxicology colleague Dr. Bruce Naumann, BD NAUMANN LLC, is explained in an article published in the journal Toxicology and Industrial Health. Skin sensitizers - which are chemicals that can trigger skin allergies, such as allergic contact dermatitis - may be identified by safety notices on their containers. However, it's often unknown exactly how much chemical exposure will trigger an allergic reaction. In some cases, the concentration of the chemical at the point of skin contact may be more important than the total amount a worker encounters.