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A Skin Protection Awareness Program will be presented Tuesday on Ramstein. The 2008 U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe event takes place 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Nightingale Theater. With the help of slide presentations, speakers will let the audience know why it is so important to take good care of the skin.
Purpose
“Your skin. The most important two square meters in your life,” is the slogan of the joint Skin Protection Campaign launched by the statutory health insurance and accident insurance institutions in Germany. The campaign is supported by the U.S. Forces under the lead of the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.
Background
All too often, the importance of the skin to health is underestimated. By a clear margin, in both German and American occupational health statistics, skin diseases form the largest category of occupational diseases.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illness, released in October 2006, skin disease remains the most prevalent occupational illness. In fact, eczema accounts for nearly 20 percent of all reported occupational diseases in the U.S. These occupational illnesses from unneeded exposure of the employee result in health effects. Additionally there are direct costs to the employer and insurance carriers.
The German insurance handlers report the direct costs attributable to skin diseases amount to €4 billion each year.
Implementation of a skin protection awareness program should address and lower the incidence of occupational skin illnesses and disease. Incomplete or insufficient knowledge of skin protection as well as inadequate personnel protection available in the work place are reasons contributing to the high incidence of skin diseases. While skin protection appears to be a medical issue, implementation at the worksite level will help to ensure that skin illnesses and disease never develop into medical issues.
Goals
Over a period of one year, the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force want to reduce the current number of skin-related issues and diseases by 15 percent. This goal should be achieved through a program promoting a more conscious attitude among U.S. forces leaders and employees toward their own skin. Key elements include methods of protection; improved awareness and knowledge of skin diseases, ways to protect the skin from occupational exposures; and supervisor education to raise awareness of programs and recognition of skin hazardous operations.
Campaign elements
The campaign will include the following elements to raise awareness and evaluate effectiveness:
• Awareness will be provided by media and program publications including radio and TV spots (public affairs offices, American Forces Network, publication and printing services, vice media), training sessions and emphasis of skin hazards on job hazard analysis and other related assessments.
• Program Analysis/Evaluation:
Before and after the program, an evaluation will be conducted in potentially high risk locations to determine effectiveness and goal achievement. The evaluation questionnaire will be addressed separately to leaders and employees.
Additionally, the federal accident insurance carrier will provide current skin disease statistical data for the workforce they cover. Other internal or external elements such as the German Armed Forces Administration may provide relevant inspection outcomes to help evaluate program results.
This campaign is supported by many accident insurance and health institutions. For the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force in Europe, external support is mainly rendered by the federal accident insurance carrier and the German Social Accident Insurance.
(Courtesy of HQ USAFE Safety Office)
