Los Angeles Medical Equipment

Archive for the ‘Emergency’ Category

Hazardous chemicals exist in industrial work places as lubricants, solvents, cleaning compounds, reagents, ingredients, and include many other chemical types and uses. Chemicals exist as gases, liquids, and solids. Unless confined by containers, ventilated enclosures, or pipes, chemicals at their points of generation can become airborne, waterborne or coated on any surface in concentrations both detectable and undetectable by human senses. Accidental or uncontrolled releases of chemicals into the work environment can cause a wide range of responses among workers in the release area. Responses may vary from no effect to death depending on the toxicity and level of exposure of the released substance.

There are two major categories of human responses to hazardous chemical exposure: acute and chronic.  Identify an acute exposure when initial exposure to a hazardous chemical causes immediate observable symptoms and effects in hours or days with no additional exposure. Examples of acute exposure symptoms include coughing, sneezing, followed by labored breathing after inhaling a chemical irritant. Another example of acute effects may be skin blistering, appearance of a rash or burn resulting from unprotected exposure to vapors of a corrosive chemical; in the case of a chemical splash to the eyes, face, or exposed skin on the body, immediate use of an emergency shower and eyewash station may make the difference in losing or saving sight or preventing disfigurement.

Identify a chronic response by exposure to a hazardous chemical that does not cause a noticeable change or effect. After repeated and/or prolonged exposure the chemical may cause skin or organ sensitization or cancer over many months or years.

An example of the effects of chronic exposure is the repeated and/or prolonged exposure to asbestos resulting in mesothelioma. This is a lung disease caused after years of exposure to asbestos.

The Occupational Safety and Health physician treating the worker chronically exposed to a particular hazardous chemical will determine if the exposure results in sensitization, cancer, or a teratogen effects (birth defects). This determination will enable the Safety and Health Manager to assign the individual to an exposure-free job, provide personal protective equipment, or initiate installation of ventilation, chemical substitution, or removal of the toxic material from the process.

For more information about the content of this article, refer to MSDS Section 11, “Toxicological Information.” For information about toxicology references and training materials, click on this link in to access this blog, “Medical Consequences of Uncontrolled Chemical Exposures.” The information is organized by sections on references, products, and solutions.