PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL SKIN
DISEASES IN THE HEALTH SERVICES SECTOR

Widespread occurrence of irritative, allergic and degenerative skin diseases in the health services sector with serious consequences for the employees affected has been observed in a number of European countries. The Health Services Section of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) has therefore organised an international workshop, called skin@work, to promote the prevention of skin diseases in the health services sector.

The skin@work workshop provided a forum for all experts working in the field of the prevention of skin diseases in the health services sector to report on their own work and prevention strategies and to take part in an international exchange of experience across frontiers.

A number of experts from a variety of countries were invited to talk about their experiences, but there was also ample time for oral contribution and poster submission.

This event promoted an interdisciplinary approach to dealing with skin problems and aimed to create a closer linkage between scientific knowledge and hands-on experience, and to close the gap between science and practice.