Objective To analyze the irritation effects on workers' skin induced by man-made vitreous fibre insulation wools with different occupational exposure profiles.
Methods This study enrolled 109 workers from a rock wool (and slag wool) manufacturing plant with a low number concentration of fibre and a high gravimetric concentration of total dust and 119 workers from a glass wool plant with a low number concentration of fibre and a low gravimetric concentration of total dust as exposure groups, and another 104 and 119 workers only exposed to noise were selected as corresponding control groups. All subjects accepted skin examinations and questionnaire interviews.
Results The detection rate of irritant contact dermatitis in the rock wool exposure group was 10.1%, significantly higher than that of the control group (0%) (P<0.05), and showed a linear trend with gravimetric concentration of total dust (P<0.05), but no association with exposure age (P>0.05). The incidence rate of skin itching of the rock wool exposure group (54.1%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (11.5%) (P<0.05), but no association with exposure level of total dust or exposure age was seen (P>0.05). The detection rate of irritant contact dermatitis in the glass wool exposure group was 6.7%, significantly higher than that of the control group (0%) (P<0.05), but no association with exposure level of total dust or exposure age was found (P>0.05). The incidence rate of skin itching of the glass wool exposure group (38.6%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (16.7%) (P<0.05), and showed an association with exposure level of total dust (P<0.05), but not with exposure age (P>0.05).
Conclusion Exposure to man-made vitreous fibre insulation wools may induce irritant contact dermatitis and skin itching. Rock wool with a higher concentration of total dust can result in more obvious irritant effects on the skin than glass wool with a lower concentration of total dust does.
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