This report provides a detailed description of Australian workers who were exposed to high levels of wet work, and the risks involved.

Occupational exposure of the hands to liquids, either through frequent hand-washing or through immersion of the hands in liquids is known as ‘wet work’. Previous studies have found that a high frequency of hand-washing at work and prolonged duration of exposure to liquids is associated with the onset and exacerbation of occupational contact dermatitis of the hands.

Although a number of occupations and some industries are associated with an increased risk of occupational contact dermatitis there is little information on the patterns of exposure to liquids in the general working population in Australia, either through self-reported data or objective observation. To address this, the National Hazard Exposure Worker Surveillance survey was undertaken in 2008.