How to Record a Work-Related Contact Dermatitis Video for Your Health and Safety System

Step 1: Set the Scene and Context

Your Work-Related Contact Dermatitis video needs to demonstrate that you have comprehensive arrangements for protecting employees from this significant occupational skin disease. You have a duty to protect the welfare, safety, and health of employees as they undertake their daily duties, and this includes protecting them from industrial diseases and work-related contact dermatitis.

Why Dermatitis Prevention Matters for Your Health and Safety System

Work-related contact dermatitis is one of the most common occupational diseases, yet it is largely preventable with proper controls. Your video should establish why dermatitis prevention deserves serious attention.

Understanding Work-Related Contact Dermatitis

Explain on camera what dermatitis is and how it develops:

"Work-related contact dermatitis is a skin disease caused by work. It is often called eczema and develops when the skin's barrier layer is damaged. This leads to redness, itching, swelling, blistering, flaking, and cracking. The most susceptible parts of the body are the hands, followed by the forearms and face."

Severity of the Condition

Emphasise the potential impact:

"Dermatitis can be severe enough to keep you off work or even force you to change jobs. Work-related ill health can cost more than twice as much as an accident causing the injury. Prevention is essential because once dermatitis develops, it can be difficult to manage and may become a chronic condition."

Legal Duty

Explain your obligations:

"We have a duty to protect the welfare, safety, and health of our employees as they undertake their daily duties. This includes protecting them from industrial diseases and work-related contact dermatitis. We take this duty seriously and have implemented specific measures to prevent this condition."

Setting Up Your Recording Location

Choose a location that demonstrates your dermatitis prevention measures in action. Consider recording near where potentially harmful substances are used, at handwashing facilities, or where protective equipment is stored. Having examples of gloves, moisturisers, and risk assessment documentation available will help illustrate your arrangements.

Step 2: Plan What to Record vs Write

Your dermatitis prevention arrangements include elements that work well on video and others better suited to written documentation. Planning this split ensures your video is engaging while maintaining complete records.

What Works Best on Video

Explanation of Dermatitis Risks

Record yourself explaining how dermatitis develops and what causes it:

"Contact with certain substances can damage the skin's natural barrier. In our workplace, the substances that pose risks include cleaning products, certain materials we handle, and prolonged water exposure. Let me explain how each of these can contribute to dermatitis..."

Avoidance Measures Demonstration

Show how you minimise contact with harmful substances:

"We ensure employees avoid contact with cleaning products, food, and water where possible. For example, we provide utensils for handling materials rather than direct hand contact, and we use automated equipment rather than manual processes where appropriate."

Protective Resources

Demonstrate the protective equipment and skin care products you provide:

"We provide resources to protect employees' skin. Here are the gloves we provide for those working with substances that can cause dermatitis. We also provide moisturiser for hands to replenish the skin's natural oils after exposure."

Self-Checking Demonstration

Show how employees should check their hands:

"Staff are instructed to check their hands regularly for the early stages of dermatitis. Let me show you what to look for—itchy, dry, or red skin are early warning signs that should prompt a report to management."

What Works Best as Written Documentation

Risk Assessments

Keep detailed written risk assessments of all products that have the potential to cause harm, documenting hazards, exposure routes, and control measures.

Product Information

Maintain safety data sheets and product information for all substances that could contribute to dermatitis.

Training Records

Document training provided to employees on dermatitis awareness, prevention measures, and symptom recognition.

Incident Records

Keep records of any reported skin symptoms, investigations conducted, and actions taken.

Skin Check Records

Where formal skin surveillance is conducted, maintain confidential records of findings.

Explaining Your Documentation System on Video

You can reference your written records without reading them out in full:

"Every product that could potentially cause dermatitis has been risk assessed. These assessments identify the hazards and specify the control measures we use to prevent skin damage. I will show you how we document these assessments..."

Step 3: Explain the Core Rules and Requirements

Your video should clearly communicate the fundamental rules governing dermatitis prevention in your organisation. Walk through each requirement methodically so viewers understand their obligations.

Duty to Protect Employee Health

Explain your overarching duty:

"We have a duty to protect the welfare, safety, and health of our employees as they undertake their daily duties. This includes protecting them from industrial diseases and work-related contact dermatitis. This is not optional—it is a fundamental part of our responsibility as an employer."

Avoiding Contact Where Possible

Emphasise avoidance as the first priority:

"We ensure employees avoid contact with cleaning products, food, and water where possible. Avoidance is always better than protection—if we can prevent contact entirely, we eliminate the risk of dermatitis from that source."

Give practical examples:

"For example, we provide utensils for handling food and materials rather than requiring direct hand contact. Where appropriate, we use dishwashers rather than washing up by hand. We look for ways to mechanise or automate processes that would otherwise require prolonged wet work or contact with irritants."

Risk Assessment of Harmful Products

Explain your risk assessment approach:

"We conduct a risk assessment of all products that have the potential to cause harm when used. These assessments identify sufficient control measures to reduce exposure and risk of developing health issues like dermatitis."

Describe what assessments consider:

"The assessment looks at what the product contains, how it is used, who uses it, how often, for how long, and what skin contact occurs. Based on this, we determine what controls are needed—whether that is substituting a less harmful product, changing the process, providing protective equipment, or a combination of measures."

Providing Protective Resources

Explain your approach to skin protection:

"We provide resources to protect employees' skin. Where necessary, we provide gloves for those working with substances that can cause dermatitis. The gloves must be suitable for the specific substances involved—not all gloves protect against all hazards."

Cover moisturiser provision:

"We also provide moisturiser for hands to replenish the skin's natural oils. Regular moisturising helps maintain the skin's barrier function, making it more resistant to damage from workplace exposures."

Staff Awareness and Education

Explain your awareness requirements:

"We ensure staff are made aware of potential skin issues and are instructed to check their hands regularly for the early stages of dermatitis. Employees cannot protect themselves from risks they do not understand, so awareness is fundamental."

Describe what employees learn:

"Training covers what dermatitis is, how it develops, what substances in our workplace can cause it, how to use protective measures correctly, how to care for their skin, and what early symptoms to watch for."

Regular Self-Checking

Emphasise the importance of monitoring:

"Employees are instructed to check their hands regularly for the early stages of dermatitis—itchy, dry, or red skin. Regular checking allows problems to be identified while they are still minor and treatable."

Early Reporting of Symptoms

Explain the reporting requirement:

"If symptoms are identified by an employee, these should be reported to a senior member of staff. Early reporting is essential because treatment is much more effective if dermatitis is caught early. We encourage reporting and respond supportively to all concerns raised."

Step 4: Demonstrate or Walk Through the Process

This section guides viewers through how your dermatitis prevention arrangements work in practice. Use real examples and scenarios to bring the procedures to life.

Walking Through Risk Assessment

Demonstrate how you assess products for dermatitis risk:

"Let me walk you through how we assess a product for dermatitis risk. This is [product name], which is used for [purpose]. The first step is reviewing the safety data sheet to understand what hazards it presents to skin."

Show the assessment process:

"The safety data sheet indicates this product contains [describe relevant hazards]. It can cause skin irritation with repeated exposure. We then consider how it is used—who handles it, how often, for how long, and what skin contact occurs during normal use."

Demonstrate control identification:

"Based on this assessment, we have determined that the following controls are needed: [describe controls]. These measures reduce exposure to a level where dermatitis risk is minimised."

Demonstrating Avoidance Measures

Show how you eliminate contact where possible:

"Avoidance is our first line of defence. Let me show you how we have eliminated or reduced skin contact in various tasks. For this process, we previously required manual handling that meant prolonged contact with [substance]. We have now introduced [describe solution] that eliminates that contact."

Demonstrate alternative methods:

"Instead of washing items by hand—which involves prolonged wet work—we use this equipment that does the job without employees needing to immerse their hands in water. Where we cannot avoid contact entirely, we minimise duration and frequency."

Demonstrating Protective Equipment

Show the gloves you provide:

"For tasks where contact cannot be avoided, we provide appropriate gloves. These gloves are specifically selected for protection against [describe substances]. Let me show you the correct way to put them on and take them off."

Demonstrate proper glove use:

"The gloves should fit properly—not too tight, not too loose. Check for any damage before use. When removing them, peel from the wrist to avoid contaminating your hands. Dispose of single-use gloves after each use, or clean reusable gloves according to instructions."

Show moisturiser provision:

"We provide this moisturiser for employees to use. It should be applied after washing hands and at the end of shifts—essentially, whenever the skin feels dry. Let me demonstrate the proper amount and application technique."

Demonstrating Hand-Checking Technique

Show how to check for early symptoms:

"Regular hand checking is essential for early detection. Let me demonstrate what employees should look for. First, look at both sides of your hands in good light. You are looking for any redness, particularly between fingers and around the wrists."

Explain what to look for:

"Feel your skin—does it feel dry, rough, or tight? Is there any itching? Look for any cracking, especially around the knuckles and fingertips. These are early warning signs that should prompt a report, even if the symptoms seem minor."

Show comparison:

"Here is what healthy skin looks like [describe]. Compare that to early signs of irritation [describe]. The earlier problems are identified, the easier they are to treat and the less likely they are to become chronic."

Walking Through the Reporting Process

Demonstrate how symptoms should be reported:

"If an employee notices any early symptoms, here is how they should report it. They speak to their supervisor or manager and explain what they have noticed. There is no need to wait until symptoms are severe—early reporting is encouraged."

Explain the response:

"When a report is received, we take it seriously. We review the employee's work activities, check that all controls are being followed, and consider whether additional measures are needed. If symptoms persist, we arrange for the employee to seek medical advice."

Show supportive follow-up:

"We may modify duties temporarily to reduce exposure while skin recovers. We review whether others doing similar work might also be at risk. The goal is to catch problems early and prevent them from worsening."

Walking Through Training Delivery

Demonstrate training content:

"Let me show you what our dermatitis awareness training covers. We explain what dermatitis is and how serious it can become. We identify the specific substances in our workplace that can cause it."

Show practical elements:

"We demonstrate the correct use of gloves, including how to check them, put them on, and remove them safely. We show how to apply moisturiser effectively. We practice the hand-checking routine so employees know what to look for."

Confirm understanding:

"We check that employees understand the training and can apply it. They should be able to explain the risks, describe the controls, demonstrate correct glove use, and show they know how to check their hands and report concerns."

Step 5: Highlight Common Mistakes

Understanding common errors helps viewers avoid them. For each mistake, explain what goes wrong and how to prevent it.

Mistake 1: Treating Dermatitis as Inevitable

Signs this is happening: Skin problems are accepted as a normal part of the job. No serious effort is made to prevent dermatitis. Employees with symptoms are told to "get used to it" rather than receiving support.

How to avoid it: Recognise that work-related dermatitis is preventable with proper controls. Take every case seriously and investigate to identify what went wrong. Never accept skin damage as an unavoidable consequence of work.

Mistake 2: Not Assessing Products for Skin Hazards

Signs this is happening: Products are used without understanding their potential to cause dermatitis. Safety data sheets are not reviewed. Risk assessments do not consider skin health.

How to avoid it: Conduct risk assessment of all products that have potential to cause harm. Review safety data sheets for skin hazard information. Ensure assessments identify sufficient control measures to reduce exposure and dermatitis risk.

Mistake 3: Failing to Explore Avoidance Options

Signs this is happening: Employees have direct contact with harmful substances when alternatives exist. Manual processes continue despite automation options. Gloves are provided as the only control when contact could be eliminated entirely.

How to avoid it: Always explore whether contact can be avoided before relying on protective equipment. Provide utensils for handling materials where possible. Use automated equipment rather than manual processes where appropriate. Substitute less harmful products where available.

Mistake 4: Providing Wrong Type of Gloves

Signs this is happening: One type of glove is provided for all tasks regardless of the substances involved. Gloves are selected based on cost rather than protection. Employees report skin problems despite wearing gloves.

How to avoid it: Select gloves specifically for the substances they will protect against. Check manufacturer specifications to ensure gloves provide adequate protection. Replace gloves regularly—damaged or degraded gloves may not protect properly.

Mistake 5: Not Providing Moisturiser

Signs this is happening: Employees are expected to provide their own skin care products. No moisturiser is available at the workplace. Employees complain of dry, uncomfortable skin.

How to avoid it: Provide moisturiser for employees' hands to replenish the skin's natural oils. Make moisturiser readily accessible where it will be used. Encourage regular application, especially after washing and at end of shifts.

Mistake 6: Inadequate Staff Awareness

Signs this is happening: Employees do not understand what dermatitis is or how it develops. Training does not cover skin health. Employees cannot identify early warning signs.

How to avoid it: Ensure staff are made aware of potential skin issues through comprehensive training. Cover what dermatitis is, what causes it, how to prevent it, and what early symptoms look like. Refresh awareness regularly.

Mistake 7: Not Teaching Self-Checking

Signs this is happening: Employees are not instructed to monitor their own skin. Early symptoms go unnoticed until they become severe. No routine for regular hand checking exists.

How to avoid it: Instruct employees to check their hands regularly for early stages of dermatitis. Teach them what to look for—itchy, dry, or red skin. Make self-checking part of the daily routine.

Mistake 8: Discouraging Symptom Reporting

Signs this is happening: Employees are reluctant to report skin problems. There is a perception that reporting will lead to blame or negative consequences. Symptoms are hidden until they become severe.

How to avoid it: Actively encourage reporting. Make it clear that early reporting is welcomed because treatment is much more effective if dermatitis is caught early. Respond supportively to all reports and act on the information provided.

Mistake 9: Not Investigating Reported Cases

Signs this is happening: Reports are received but no investigation follows. The same problems recur because root causes are not addressed. Controls are not reviewed despite employees developing symptoms.

How to avoid it: Investigate every reported case to understand what happened and why. Review whether controls are adequate and being followed. Implement improvements to prevent recurrence. Learn from each case to protect other employees.

Mistake 10: Delayed Response to Early Symptoms

Signs this is happening: Early symptoms are dismissed as minor. Employees are told to wait and see if problems resolve. Treatment is only sought once dermatitis has become established.

How to avoid it: Respond promptly to any reported symptoms, no matter how minor they seem. Arrange medical advice early. Remember that treatment is much more effective if dermatitis is caught early—delay allows the condition to worsen and become harder to manage.

Step 6: Summarise the Key Takeaways

Conclude your video by reinforcing the essential elements of your dermatitis prevention arrangements. This summary helps viewers remember the key points and understand their role in making the system work.

Recording Your Summary

Bring together the main themes:

"To summarise our dermatitis prevention arrangements: We have a duty to protect our employees from work-related contact dermatitis. We ensure employees avoid contact with cleaning products, food, and water where possible—using utensils, automation, and other means to eliminate direct skin contact."

Cover risk assessment:

"We conduct risk assessments of all products that have potential to cause harm, identifying sufficient control measures to reduce exposure and risk of developing dermatitis."

Address protective resources:

"We provide resources to protect employees' skin. This includes appropriate gloves for those working with substances that can cause dermatitis, and moisturiser for hands to replenish the skin's natural oils."

Emphasise awareness and monitoring:

"Staff are made aware of potential skin issues and are instructed to check their hands regularly for early stages of dermatitis—itchy, dry, or red skin. Early detection is crucial."

Conclude with reporting:

"If symptoms are identified, they should be reported to management promptly. Treatment is much more effective if dermatitis is caught early. We encourage reporting and respond supportively to all concerns raised."

Final Statement

End with a clear commitment:

"Work-related contact dermatitis can be severe enough to keep employees off work or force them to change jobs. These arrangements ensure we identify risks, implement effective controls, provide protective resources, and catch any problems early. By following these arrangements consistently, we protect our employees from this preventable condition."

Bringing It All Together

Your Work-Related Contact Dermatitis video should demonstrate comprehensive arrangements for preventing this significant occupational skin disease. From identifying products that could cause harm, through implementing controls and providing protection, to ensuring early detection through awareness and monitoring, each element supports the overall goal of protecting employee skin health.

Remember that dermatitis is much easier to prevent than to treat once established. Your video should reflect the importance of avoidance, protection, and early detection.

The key elements to cover are:

• Duty of care: Understanding your responsibility to protect employees from dermatitis
• Avoidance: Eliminating contact with harmful substances where possible
• Risk assessment: Evaluating products and processes for dermatitis risk
• Protective equipment: Providing appropriate gloves for necessary contact
• Skin care: Providing moisturiser to maintain skin health
• Staff awareness: Ensuring employees understand the risks and controls
• Self-checking: Teaching employees to monitor their own skin regularly
• Symptom recognition: Knowing what early warning signs look like
• Prompt reporting: Encouraging early reporting of any symptoms
• Supportive response: Acting quickly because early treatment is most effective

By demonstrating each of these elements clearly, your video provides evidence of a functioning dermatitis prevention system that meets your duty to protect employee health and prevents this common but avoidable occupational disease.