Occupational dermatoses comprise any skin disease in which occupational exposure is a major causal or contributory factor. In all the diverse occupations that people pursue, there are thousands of chemicals and other potentially noxious insults which can impinge on the skin. These may harm the skin in many different ways and induce pathologic processes. When the latter are identified as being caused through occupational exposure, they are referred to as ‘occupational dermatoses’. Traditionally, the types of hazardous exposure are categorized as:

	•	mechanical–friction, pressure, vibration, mechanical disruption
	•	chemical–elements and chemical compounds (organic, inorganic and proteins)
	•	physical–heat, cold, radiation (UV and ionizing)
	•	biological–organisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

The types of dermatoses induced by exposure to these noxious occupational hazards can be grouped as outlined in Table …