However, an important international conference taking place in Manchester this September will focus on another significant route into the body: the skin.
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection, will host the Occupational and Environmental Exposure of Skin to Chemicals Conference from 14 to 16 September 2026.
Known as OEESC 2026, the three-day event will bring together specialists in occupational health, dermatology, toxicology and exposure science. Researchers, regulators and workplace health professionals will share the latest evidence and discuss more effective ways of identifying, assessing and controlling exposure through the skin.
“Skin is the largest human organ and it is our major defence against substances in the environment that can cause us harm,” explained BOHS President Sarah Leeson. She said that health discussions have traditionally concentrated on what people breathe or eat, while the potential consequences of dermal exposure have sometimes received less attention.
The conference will examine health concerns including chemical sensitisation and contact dermatitis. Delegates will also hear about exposure to potentially harmful substances such as PFAS, nanoparticles, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, commonly known as PAHs.
Practical workplace risks will feature prominently. Research and case studies will consider the experiences of firefighters, petrol station attendants, asphalt workers and people involved in recycling electronic waste.
Protective clothing and gloves will be discussed, but BOHS believes effective prevention must go further than simply supplying personal protective equipment.
Professor Kevin Bampton, chief executive of BOHS, said new technologies can help specialists model and predict dermal risks and better understand how substances pass through the skin. Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature in discussions about future methods of risk assessment and prevention.
Other sessions will examine workplace training, exposure controls and developments in international standards and regulatory approaches.
Helen Taylor, a BOHS board member and specialist in skin exposure, described OEESC as an important opportunity to discover the science that will shape future workplace practices.
By bringing together experts from several disciplines, BOHS hopes the conference will turn scientific knowledge into practical measures that prevent ill health. The event should be particularly valuable for occupational hygienists, dermatologists, researchers, regulators and anyone responsible for protecting employees who regularly handle or work near hazardous substances.
Further information, booking details and the full conference programme are available through BOHS and the OEESC 2026 event information.
https://www.bohs.org/app/uploads/2026/07/OEESC-2026-Programme-070726.pdf?
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