Skin protection plan
The skin protection plan specifies the dangers of the skin at the workplace and the skin protection, skin cleansing and skin care products to be used to minimize these dangers. It is to be drawn up by the employer and posted to the employees in a suitable form. The content of the skin protection plan is part of the regular instruction .
The products listed in the plan for skin protection and for skin cleansing and care must be made available by the employer free of charge.
Skin diseases as an occupational disease
Many occupational diseases can be traced back to skin diseases. In 2004, 55,586 suspected occupational diseases were reported to the professional associations in Germany . 14,723 of them with suspected skin diseases. 15,832 cases were recognized as an occupational disease. 1,198 thereof as a skin disease.
Risk assessment and protective measures
The dangers for the skin are to be determined by a risk assessment according to § 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act . The following hazards are often encountered at workplaces:
- Hazardous substances with caustic, irritating or sensitizing properties
- mechanical effects
- Wet work
- prolonged wearing of moisture-proof gloves
- frequent and intensive skin cleansing
- Cold or heat
- UV radiation
The employer must derive the protective measures to be taken from the identified hazards. These can be:
- Replacement of the dangerous substance with a less dangerous substance
- Separation of people / hazards, for example through encapsulation
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as protective gloves, skin protection
Since basic knowledge of occupational medicine is often required for the risk assessment and the selection of protective measures, the company doctor should be consulted.
Content of the plan
The skin protection plan is tailored to the respective work area under technical safety and company medical advice: It contains information on the work area and activities that are hazardous to the skin as well as the exact times at which the corresponding protective measures are to be carried out; for example, before starting work, after a break or before working in wet conditions. He also names the product selected for the individual protective measure, e.g. B. the skin protection product or protective gloves .
literature
Technical rules
TRGS 401 Risks from skin contact - determination, assessment, measures
Trade association rules
BGR 197 Use of skin protection
BGR 143 activities with cooling lubricants
Trade association information
BGI 658 skin protection in metal works
GUV-I 8559 Skin diseases and skin protection from the professional association for health services and welfare (BGW)
Leaflets
M 101 Skin protection when handling food from the trade association for retailers
M 605 Mainly skin protection from the employers' liability insurance association for health and welfare services
Web links
- Download the technical rules for hazardous substances
- Skin protection and hand hygiene plans for 26 professional groups. Professional association for health services and welfare, as of 2018
- Bundesverband Handschutz eV
Individual evidence
- ↑ The hand and skin protection plan. DGUV department of personal protective equipment, subject area skin protection. Retrieved October 8, 2019
