Occupational ill health due to skin disease is a significant problem in most countries. Skin health surveillance, as part of a comprehensive skin management system, can help in the prevention of occupational skin disease.

It has been shown to be important that when assessing skin condition we obtain data on conditions within the skin as well those of the skin’s immediate surface. Thus traditional methods, such as visual and tactile skin condition assessment should be augmented by the use of skin bioengineering techniques. Simplified equipment, suitable for use in an occupational health environment, is now available.

Several different skin condition parameters can now be measured easily and quickly using non-invasive techniques. These are based on methods well established in dermatological research and skin care product development, but not yet common in occupational health.

These techniques provide quantitative data and, in some cases, may enable the detection of skin damage whilst this is still at the sub-clinical stage. The data provided can be useful in the development of more effective skin management strategies. The data can also be useful in identifying the cause of an occupational contact dermatitis. It can also help in determining the relative irritancy potential of different chemicals, thus enabling the least irritant chemical to be identified.

Case studies will indicate how these techniques can help to create a more effective skin management system. In addition, the use of these techniques has been shown to raise management and workforce awareness, thus encouraging better skin management and skin care standards.

It would be of considerable benefit to those concerned with the prevention of occupational skin disease if such measurement data could be collected together with information about the conditions under which the people being measured were working. This would provide us with much useful information about the effect of the working environment on the skin and the benefits of intervention in the form of skin management systems.