GOJO Industries launches its comprehensive GOJO Skin Health Needs Analysis Program to improve workers’ skin health through better hand hygiene and help employers develop a comprehensive hand hygiene program to improve workers’ quality of life and manage costs associated with absenteeism and lost productivity due to poor hand hygiene. The program is for manufacturing facilities with 250 or more employees.
The GOJO Skin Health Needs Analysis includes an examination of the manufacturing facilities’ handwashing locations and an assessment of all of the products and equipment used at each location. On completion of the analysis, a report and recommendation are presented to the facility’s management by a GOJO representative.
Whether their work is on factory floors, automotive shops or in outdoor environments, employees encounter tough soils and skin irritants. Dirt, grit, irritants and harsh chemicals combine with heat, cold and other environmental factors to create the perfect storm for occupational skin diseases.
Dr. Arbogast, vice president of skin care science and product development for GOJO, said those who work in tough soils conditions can tilt the scales back in their favor in the battle against occupational skin disease.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 13 million U.S. workers are potentially exposed to chemicals and other irritants that absorb through the skin,” Dr. Arbogast said. “These agents can cause a variety of occupational skin diseases, including contact dermatitis and system toxicity.”
The National Occupational Research Agenda reported that once workers acquire contact dermatitis, an estimated 75 percent of the cases become chronic, requiring ongoing medical care and affecting workers’ well-being. It is important, therefore, to reduce exposure to common irritants, use products designed to clean and condition tough-soiled hands and following a healthy skin washing and skin care regimen.
Through the Skin Health Needs Analysis Program, employers will become more aware of hazards that affect the hands and health of their employees, including:
- Chemical Irritants — Metalworking fluids, lubricants, oils, greases, solvents, paints, fiberglass, acids and even poorly formulated hand cleansers that include surfactants.
- Mechanical Abrasion — Machining, milling, sanding, and grinding generate metal chips that are rough on the fingertips and tend to abrade the skin, causing irritation.
- Physical Agents — Repeated exposure to heat, cold, water and friction.
- Biological and Microbiological Agents — Transmission by hand of germs that may cause illness.
“To help improve workers’ safety against the irritants they come into contact each day, GOJO offers this full-service program to provide an assessment of skin care needs and to recommend the right skin-care regimen solution for the facility to maximize employees’ skin health and improve worker productivity,” said GOJO Vice President, Tough Soils Division, Harold Tyreman. “Our program continues to gain traction and with hundreds of these analyses under our belt, we’ve seen customers gain tangible benefits, including the ability to significantly lower their overall hand hygiene program costs.”
There is no charge for the GOJO Skin Health Needs Analysis. Those who request an analysis will receive a comprehensive booklet that includes:
- An audit of skin care products currently used in their facilities
- A hand hygiene regimen recommendation prepared exclusively for their facility based on the types of soils employees encounter
- Recommendations designed to help reduce skin care product inventory on site and to save money with products that perform more effectively and efficiently
Tyreman said the GOJO representative who conducts the assessment works with human resources, plant managers or safety supervisors to personally inspect each restroom and soap-and-sink station. The resulting report includes extensive information about occupational skin diseases, a risk recap, the needs analysis summary, product comparisons, GOJO Hand Hygiene Program Material Safety Data Sheets, a situation needs report and other pertinent information.
For information about the GOJO Skin Health Needs Analysis or to schedule an audit, contact Latia Robbins at 1-800-321-9647 ext. 6424.
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