Assessment and evaluation of risks resulting from dermal exposure to chemicals

Background

Expert groups, like DG SANCO's scientific committees, have recently voiced concerns that there is little knowledge available on skin exposure and penetration of industrial chemicals, in contrast to exposure via the inhalation route. To address this, a task force was formed to build on the extensive expertise in the area of dermal exposure especially within the agrochemical industry.

The remit of the task force is to develop a tiered, practical strategy for the assessment and evaluation of dermal risks from chemicals, thereby taking into account recent scientific advances. This activity could also be a valuable input to chemical assessments for REACH in relation to exposure scenarios, and it could guide industry internal decision making when designing toxicological studies.