Candle makers

Abstract

The production of candles is usually a fully automated process with no or very little manual contact with the product. Primarily, three materials are used for candle manufacturing: paraffin, stearin, and beeswax. More recently, gel candles consisting of processed mineral oil have been introduced to the market. The wick is usually made of braided cotton threads which are treated with inorganic compounds. Candles are frequently perfumed and dyed. They may contain traces of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorobenzene, toluene, dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans in very low amounts which are released by burning of candles. Although candle production is a significant industry, there are no reports of occupational dermatoses in candle makers. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2000, 2012.