GOJO® Skin Care Lab

Causes and Consequences

Hands that have repeated contact with irritants (chemical, mechanical, physical, or microbiological) may have cumulative damage. Repeated damage to the skin where the skin does not have a chance to repair itself may result in chronic irritant dermatitis. Daily exposure over weeks, months and years results in cracks that go down to the dermis, the second layer of the skin containing the blood vessels, causing pain.

The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) reported that once workers acquire irritant contact dermatitis, 75 percent of cases may become chronic. [1]

We know from interviewing workers that they will sometimes call in sick to give their hands a break. How does this impact your productivity?

The Causes

Contact dermatitis doesn't just come from solvents and chemicals. It usually isn't one single cause. In fact, damage can come from a combination of causes, such as:

• Chemical contact
• Soils
• Working with tools and machinery
• Handling paper, cardboard, wood or fiberboard (or any porous dry material)
• Heat and cold
• Moisture and wet-work
• Ultraviolet radiation
• Water
• Even skin cleanser can be an irritant. How? Even light-duty soaps remove natural oils from the skin and can produce some degree of damage. This is why a moisturizer, in addition to a cleanser, is crucial to help replace lost oils and moisture.