Hard working hands: tough skin with ingrained oil or dirt might seem like a harmless side effect of tough manual work. But it could lead to occupational dermatitis and worse without a strong hand cleaning strategy.
It’s not just about having a smart appearance: leaving contaminants on your skin for longer than is necessary is never a good idea. Even if there are no hazardous chemicals involved, leaving ingrained grime on a regular basis can irritate skin, strip natural moisturisers and lead to infections or dermatitis. Not only this, dirt and oils can leave your hands with less grip, losing you the control needed for safe working.
Many contaminants are more harmful: HSE make it clear that frequent and prolonged contact with used engine oil and lubricants may not only lead to dermatitis and other skin disorders, but can cause skin cancer. COSHH guidelines (SR19) set out recommendations which include regular washing and suggest use of skin creams.
It’s worth noting the statistics on the cost to business too: Occupational eczema and dermatitis are estimated by OSHA to cost the EU €600 million each year, with around 300 million lost working days.
Unfortunately, repeated vigorous washing – particularly with industrial liquid soaps, gels and high-in-alcohol hand sanitisers – can also strip the hands of their natural oils, leaving them dry, rough and susceptible to eczema and dermatitis.
Don’t Use These Hand Cleaning Recommendations!
A brief online search comes up with a myriad of suggestions for industrial hand cleansing, many of which are not healthy or practical.
- Some engineers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics and other workers clean hands using solvents like WD40, brake cleaner or other thinners and industrial oil derivatives, which themselves can cause worse problems. Many are carcinogenic, most are flammable, some lead to burns and blistered rashes and prolonged hand contact with all should be avoided.
- Recommendations for the forestry industry, who may need to hand wash without water, suggest that nail polish remover is great for removing tree sap – but this has a moisture stripping effect on the skin.
- Elbow grease is a further suggestion: scrubbing the hands and fingers with a nail brush until all dirt is lifted. But doing this on a regular basis can lead to sore, reddened skin, opening the door to infections and stripping the moisture from the skin – an important part of the body’s natural barrier.
How to clean ingrained dirt from your hands healthily.
Other, more natural solutions are kinder, but are just plain inconvenient! Much online advice, some aimed at landscapers or gardeners who need to hand wash without water, suggests sugar mixed with dish soap, or oats with olive oil - the first is impractical and drying, and the second is rather impractical. (Do you take oats to work?!) Baking soda and vinegar also make an appearance in many recommendations but will also dry your hands and mean making your own solutions regularly and carrying them around with you.
It is far more convenient to use pre-manufactured hand rubs. These are often marketed towards builders and construction workers, many containing scrubbing beads in a thick and gloopy substance with colours hitherto unseen in nature. While these are safer and more effective cleansers, many include aggressive chemicals or, in the case of hand wipes, are not good for the environment. Most require use of plenty of water to rinse the hands of the resulting unpleasant mixture.
Finding a waterless hand cleaner with more natural ingredients is advisable, to prevent drying of and irritation to the skin and the subsequent damage.
Hälker Intense No-Rinse cleanse
Hälker Intense No-Rinse cleanse is ideal to have in your bag or van when you are out and about as it needs no water to effectively remove all the grime from your hands. Made from completely natural ingredients, the waterless hand cleaner is kind to your skin and the environment, without losing any of the effectiveness of its cleaning power. Exfoliating volcanic pumice will effectively lift and remove oils, greases, dust and dirt from the skin, leaving you clean, fresh and ready to safely take on the next job.
Order Hälker No-Rinse CleanseIf you have any questions about the most effective way to protect working hands call our protection specialists now, on 0800 328 5028.