Published Article: Wiped Out – Explaining the Lack of Methods for Dermal and Surface Sampling and Analysis
Wiped Out – Explaining the Lack of Methods for Dermal and Surface Sampling and Analysis
Authored by Lauren Gloekler, MEM of Roux, Derek Popp, Laura Parker, and Steven Jahn
Occupational skin exposures represent a significant hazard, leading to more workplace illnesses than inhalation, but they are comparatively under-researched and more complex. Compared to air samples, dermal and surface samples are easier to acquire under static conditions. However, industrial hygienists often confront a lack of information about the surface and dermal hazards they seek to evaluate. Compared to airborne methods, even fewer standardized methods exist for dermal and surface sampling and analysis.
Last April, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced the termination of more than 90 percent of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) staff positions. Together with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NIOSH is one of the primary publishers of sampling and analytical methods for industrial hygiene, primarily through the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM). Suggestions that the private sector might assume this responsibility revealed that many industrial hygienists underestimate the time, resources, and effort required to develop robust, defensible, fit-for-purpose sampling and analytical methods.
Additionally, per recent changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA is requiring companies to provide dermal exposure data for certain chemicals, the majority of which have no validated sampling or analytical methods. To navigate these complexities effectively, it is crucial for industrial hygienists and laboratories to engage in close collaboration and communication during the development of sampling methods.
An article describing the key variables and considerations associated with the development of dermal and surface sampling methods was published by The Synergist in January 2026. Roux is providing free access to the article until March 31, 2026. To request access to the full article, please click the link below:
