Allergies in the Workplace

Explosives are widely used in South Africa, within the armed forces as well as civilian society, but the health effects associated with the explosive manufacturing industry are not well described.

Researchers at the University of Capetown present the case of a 48-year-old explosive manufacturing factory operator who developed contact dermatitis to trinitrotoluene as the presumed causative agent and paronychia from prolonged wet work.The main health effects of exposure to organic nitrates (including those used in explosives) are dermatitis, methaemoglobinaemia, vasodilation and carcinogenesis.The researchers concluded that it is essential for health care workers to take a detailed occupational history in order to determine the possible contribution of work to a patient’s health.(Source: Williams H. Contact dermatitis within the explosives industry – a case report. Current Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2007; 20(3): 151-4 [online] Available from: http://www.allergysa.org/journals/journal2007aug.htm : Allergy Society of South Africa : October 2007)