Occupational Contact Dermatitis

In last few years construction industry has been growing rapidly world over including India. It is estimated that there are about 4 million workers employed in the Indian construction industry. Himachal Pradesh, a small north-western hill state of India, too has witnessed substantial construction activities for roads, hydroelectric projects, housing and industry in recent years. However, there is overall paucity of data on occupational contact dermatitis among workers in construction activity. This pilot study provides preliminary clinico-epidemiological and etiological data on the subject. Acral dermatitis, hand dermatitis, airborne contact dermatitis, and acrofacial dermatitis were common clinical presentations. Potassium dichromate in cement apparently causes irritant contact dermatitis (chrome ulcers, hyperkeratotic and ulcerative dermatitis) initially and predisposes, even when minimal, for allergic contact sensitivity to chromates, cobalt, and/or nickel. The parthenium weed with its ubiquitous presence in India remains frequent contact sensitizer among construction workers as well.