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Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 016

M Mott – 24 January 2005

Barrier Creams

About four million working
days are lost in the United
Kingdom each year
because of skin disease.

Many substances
commonly encountered in
the workplace are either
skin irritants, or else they
can degrease or
otherwise attack the skin's
natural defences. This
can then lead to the two
most common forms of
occupational skin disease
encountered - irritant
contact dermatitis and
allergic contact dermatitis.

Paints, Thinners, Cleaning Solvents, Glues, Detergents, Oils (including Petrol & Diesel) are all
skin irritants that can cause dermatitis.

There is a wide variety of skin creams available, though they generally fall into one of two
categories: pre-work or after-work.

Pre-work creams

Pre-work creams are often known as 'barrier' creams and are generally formulated to repel
either oil, grease, paint, solvents etc, or water-based products such as weak acids, alkalis and
metalworking fluids. Some creams claim to give protection against both.

Pre-work creams are designed to provide a protective layer between the skin and the
substance.