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Occupational Acne

Occupational acne is most commonly seen in workers exposed to insoluble cutting oils in the machine tool trades, in mechanics who are exposed to grease and lubricating oils, in workers in oil fields, and workers in refineries. Oil acne and coal-tar acne, though less common than in the past, still pose some problems in certain industries. Chloracne continues to be the most significant problem.

High Risk Jobs Tasks

Examples of High Risk Job Tasks Associated with Occupational Acne:

• Oil-induced acne in workers in the automobile industry
• Acne and folliculitis due to diesel oil
• In fast food restaurants, acne may be seen in cooks who work in a kitchen with fry vats
• Oil acne from mineral oil among workers making prefabricated concrete panels
• Chloracne associated with employment in the production of pentachlorophenol
• Chloracne from pentachlorophenol-preserved wood
• Remove or replace PCB contaminated fluid in transformers
• Work with toxic chemicals that could be spilled or released
• Apply coal tar pitch to cables, pipes, or roofs

Forms of Occupational Acne Include:

• Oil Acne
• Chloracne

References:
1) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - April 2001 - www.cdc.gov
2) Haz-Map - Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents - Specialized Information Services (SIS) - U.S. National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health - November 2007 - hazmap.nlm.nih.gov