National hazard exposure worker surveillance: wet work exposure and the provision of wet work control measures in Australian workplaces

This report provides a detailed description of Australian workers who were exposed to high levels of wet work, and the risks involved. Occupational exposure of the hands to liquids, either through frequent hand-washing or through immersion of the hands in liquids is known as ‘wet work’. Previous studies have found that a high frequency of hand-washing at work and prolonged duration of exposure to liquids is associated with the onset and exacerbation of occupational contact dermatitis of the hands. Although a number of occupations and some industries are associated with an increased risk of occupational contact dermatitis there is little information on the patterns of exposure to liquids in the general working population in Australia, either through self-reported data or objective observation. To address this, the National Hazard Exposure Worker Surveillance survey was undertaken in 2008. This survey asked 4500 Australian workers to estimate the number of times they washed their hands while at work and how long their hands were immersed in liquids while at work. The survey also asked about exposure to chemicals and about the provision of controls to avoid or reduce the health consequences of wet work. This report provides a detailed description of Australian workers who were exposed to high levels of wet work. Of these, female workers, workers of lower occupational skill and those workers who also reported exposure to chemicals were more likely to report high levels of wet work. Workers in the Health and community services and the Accommodation, cafes and restaurants industries were most likely to report high wet work exposure. These findings are placed in an international context and the implications for work health and safety policy are discussed