Articles Tagged with ''occupational illness''

Factors peculiar to individual workers are also important. Hereditary factors influence the variety of reactions seen in different persons when exposed to the same irritant. The part of the body that comes in contact with an irritant substance is another factor to remember. The penetration of substances varies over different body regions. For example, some substances penetrate the face and the upper back more quickly than the arms.

In the workplace, irritant contact dermatitis can develop after a short, heavy exposure or a repeated or prolonged, low exposure to a substance. The appearance of irritant contact dermatitis varies considerably according to the conditions of exposure. For example, an accidental contact with a strong irritant causes immediate blisters. Contact with a mild irritant may only produce redness of the skin. However, if the irritation continues, small lesions or sores appear on the reddened area; afterwards crusts and scales form. The skin damage usually heals a few weeks after exposure ends if no complications have arisen (e.g., no infections occurred).

NIOSH will celebrate a notable 20th anniversary this month. On October 19, 1996, a new facility was dedicated on NIOSH’s Morgantown, West Virginia, campus. The facility, often referred to now as the “L” Building, provided NIOSH for the first time with a strategic convergence of specialized equipment and dedicated laboratory space for advanced health-effects research.