title: Conducting a factory or plant visit.
abstract: Plant visits are an invaluable tool in the management of work-related skin disorders, as they are the means by which a dermatologist gains firsthand information about the circumstances under which a work-related skin disorder has arisen in a plant or factory. In order to manage the workplace hazards which are responsible for skin disease, these must be identified and evaluated, and recommendations made about their control. While it may be possible to do this vicariously by questioning, examining, and investigating affected workers in the office, site visits to the plant or factory are sometimes necessary for the optimal assessment and management of such cases, as they often provide valuable information and insights not forthcoming from the history, examination, and investigations. This article explores the rationale behind plant visits, and discusses the pre-visit assessment, pre-visit preparation, the plant visit itself, and post-visit responsibilities. Practical advice is given for conducting each of these stages.
mesh_terms: D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003880:Dermatology; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D017132:Workplace