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Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology pp 1–10Cite as

Laboratory Technicians

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Abstract

Laboratory workers run a high risk of occupational dermatitis.

Laboratory technicians are exposed to a great number of chemicals, all of which are considered dangerous to the skin.

Many of the commonly used chemicals are corrosive or irritating to the skin, and some are allergenic.

Sensitization often develops to well-known allergens and also to rare and even to new sensitizers.

Human and animal tissue specimens, and laboratory animals, present additional risks of contact urticaria and skin infections.

Assessing skin exposure in research laboratories is exceptionally difficult because a large number of chemicals and even unknown intermediates may be present.

Contact allergy from accidental exposure to a chemical is often the first clue that the chemical is a potential contact sensitizer.

The use of protective gloves during laboratory work is essential, but disposable gloves are usually only suitable for short-term or occasional handling of chemicals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

  2. Control of Hypersensitivity Diseases, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Helsinki, Finland

    Riitta Jolanki

  3. Alameda Health System – Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA, USA

    Marwa Hakimi

Authors
  1. Marwa Hakimi
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  2. Riitta Jolanki
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  3. Howard I. Maibach
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Marwa Hakimi or Howard I. Maibach .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Swen Malte John

  2. Department of Dermato-allergology, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark

    Jeanne Duus Johansen

  3. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  4. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  5. Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Hakimi, M., Jolanki, R., Maibach, H.I. (2018). Laboratory Technicians. In: John, S., Johansen, J., Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., Maibach, H. (eds) Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_166-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_166-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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