Auswirkung einer arbeitsbedingten Kontaktallergie gegen Thiurame/Dithiocarbamate bei der BK 5101

Abstract

This recommendation assesses the impact of an occupational contact allergy to thiurams/dithiocarbamates with regard to the reduction of the earning capacity in cases of occupational skin disease according to No. 5101 of the German list of occupational diseases. Thiurams and dithiocarbamates are chemically closely related and, therefore, discussed in combination. They are used as accelerators in the production of products made of natural or synthetic rubber and thus, released from these prod-ucts. In many occupations, a very intensive and frequent exposure occurs via wearing of rubber protective gloves, which nowadays only rarely contain thiurams, but mainly dithiocarbamates. The use of thiurams/dithiocarbamates in plant protection products has substantially decreased in the past years. Other relevant exposures could occur in the rubber industry and during assembling of rubber parts or handling of rubber products such as cable insulation, sealing, hoses, tires. Since the main exposure is related to rubber protective gloves and the good possibilities for their replacement, the impact of an occupationally acquired contact sensitization to thiurams/dithiocarbamates is usually regarded as ``low grade''. Only in exceptional cases with a strong sensitization, the impact is considered ``medium grade''.