ABSTRACT
I. Metalworking 319
II. Metalworking Fluids (MWF) 320 A. Types of MWF 320
B. Composition of MWF 321
C. Maintenance of MWF 322
D. Exposure to MWF 323
III. Dermatitis from Metalworking Fluids 328
A. Etiology of Dermatitis 329
B. Allergic Contact Dermatitis 329
C. Irritant Contact Dermatitis 330
IV. Epidemiology of Dermatitis in Metalworkers 330
A. Prevalence 330
B. Epidemic Outbreaks of Dermatitis 331
V. Therapy and Prevention 332
A. General Measures 332
B. Handling an Individual Worker with Hand Dermatitis 333
C. Preemployment Examination 333
VI. Prognosis 334
VII. Experimental Investigations 335
A. Experiments with Animals 335
B. Experiments with Healthy Volunteers 335
C. Experiments with Healthy Metalworkers 335
References 336
I. METALWORKING
During industrial fabrication of hard materials, usually metals, metalworking fluids (MWF) are widely used as coolants and lubricants. In metalworking procedures frictional heat is generated due to the presence between the chip and the tool of the machine, and the deformation of metal. This heat can be reduced, on the one hand, by cooling the workpiece and the tool with a liquid and, on the other hand, by reducing the friction with a lubricant. The temperature at the tip of the tool can become very high. Therefore the tool wears quickly, causing a diminishing of the accuracy of the cut and of the finish of the workpiece. Particles of swarf may even become welded to the tool, thus increasing the friction.1 Figure 21.1 shows schematically the cutting of metal.
