Occupational dermatitis. An epidemiological study in the rubber and cement industries.

An epidemiological study of occupational dermatitis in a tyre company and a cement company is reported. Ninety-seven percent of 999 tyre workers and 78% of 151 cement workers were screened by an occupational nurse and subsequently assessed by a specialist dermatologist. Prevalence rates of occupational contact dermatitis were 37 per 1000 and 68 per 1000 in the tyre and cement companies, respectively. Maintenance workers and tyre builders - particularly if they were Yugoslav and female - had high prevalence rates amongst tyre workers. Worker's compensation claim rates for the tyre company are similar to U.K. and U.S. rates for this industry. Prevalence rates of 37 per 1000 can be considered as a lower limit for this industry. The high prevalence rates in the cement company are noteworthy and require further study.