CHEMICALSINTHEWORKPLACEEsraYILMAZEnvironmentalEngineerCHEMICALSINTHEWORKPLACEEsra12ContentGeneralinformationaboutchemicalsRoutesofentryintothebody/healtheffectsCommonchemicalgroupsthatcausehealthrisksFactorsthatdeterminethetypeoftoxiceffectachemicalcanhaveonyou.2ContentGeneralinformationa23CHAPTERI:Generalinformationaboutchemicals3CHAPTERI:34ChemicalsChemicalsareapartofeveryone'slife.Therearefivetosevenmilliondifferentchemicalsknownintheworld.Atleastfourhundredmilliontonnesofchemicalsareproducedworldwideeachyear(includingagriculturalchemicals,foodadditives,fuelsforpowerproduction,chemicalconsumerproducts,etc.)4ChemicalsChemicalsareapart45Typesofchemicalsfoundintheworkplace

Themainphysicalformsofchemicalsaresolids,dusts,liquids,vapoursandgases.5Typesofchemicalsfoundint56Solids

Solidsaretheleastlikelyofthechemicalformstocausechemicalpoisoning.

6SolidsSolidsaretheleas6

Dustsaretinyparticlesofsolids.

Dusts

Dustsaretinyparticle78LiquidsManyhazardoussubstances,suchasacidsandsolvents,areliquidswhentheyareatnormaltemperature.8LiquidsManyhazardoussubs89

Vapours

Avapouristhegasphaseofamaterialwhichisnormallyliquidunderstandardconditions.9VapoursAvapouristhe910

Gases

Somechemicalsubstancesareintheformofagaswhentheyareatanormaltemperature.However,somechemicalsinliquidorsolidformbecomegaseswhentheyareheated.

10GasesSomechemicalsub1011ClassificationAccordingtoBiologicalEffectsAsphyxiantgases

IrritantgasesChlorine,phosgene,nitrogencompoundsSystematicgasesalcohols

andcarbontetrachloride

NarcoticgasesToluene,benzeneSimpleasphyxiants(CO2,methane,ethane,buthane,nitrogengases)Chemicalasphyxiants(CO,hydrogensulphide

)Gases

11AsphyxiantgasesIrritantga1112CHAPTERII:Routesofentryintothebody/healtheffects12CHAPTERII:1213ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBODYIngestionInhalation

Contactwithskinoreyes(absorption)13ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBOD1314ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBODY-1InhalationMorehazardousagentsgetintoyourbodybyinhalation

(bybeingbreathedin)thanbyanyotherroute.

14ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBOD1415Howdoyouknowwhetheryouarebeingexposedtorespiratoryhazardsatwork?

smell

sneezing

coughing

arunnynose

Warningsignalsare:15Howdoyouknowwhetheryou1516ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBODY-2IngestionHazardousagentscanalsogetintothebodybyingestion.

16ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBOD1617ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBODY-3AbsorptionSomechemicals(suchasstrongacidsandalkalis)candamageyourskin.Thisconditioniscalleddermatitis.

17ROUTESofENTRYINTOTHEBOD1718Contactdermatitis

Anothercommonoccupationalskindiseaseiscontactdermatitis—atypeofallergicreaction.18Contactdermatitis Anotherc1819Someofthechemicalsthatcausecontactdermatitisare:

formaldehyde;nickelcompounds;epoxyresinsandcatalystsusedintheplasticsindustry;germicidalagentsusedinsoapandothercleanerschromates.

19Someofthechemicalsthatc1920CHAPTERIII:Commonchemicalgroupsthatcausehealthrisks20CHAPTERIII:2021GasesSulphuroxides,

Nitrogenoxides,

Chlorine,AmmoniaSometoxicgasesarecorrosiveandirritatingtotherespiratorysystem.HydrogencyanideSomegasescanpassthroughtheskinCarbonmonoxideSomegasesmayenterthebloodcirculation.21GasesSulphuroxides,Someto2122SolventsMostindustrialsolventsareliquidorganicchemicalsManyofthemevaporaterapidlyatambienttemperaturesTheyareoftenflammableandmayignitebyheatfromsmoking,weldingorstaticelectricity.Exampleofverydangeroussolvents:Benzene,carbontetracloride,carbondisulphide.22SolventsMostindustrialsol2223MetalsMetalscanenterthebodyintheformofdustandfumes(ingrindingorwelding)oreventhroughtheskin.

23MetalsMetalscanentert2324Acidsandbases

Strongacidsandbasesaremostlyusedaswatersolutions.Theyarecorrosivetohumantissue.24Acidsandbases Strongacid2425Pesticides

Pesticidesareusedinindustry,forexample,toimpregnatewood,andinagriculturetocontrolinsects,weed,fungi,andrats.

25PesticidesPesticidesare2526Differentorgansandtissuesthatcanbeaffectedbycertaintoxicindustrialchemicals.

26Differentorgansandtissues2627CHAPTERIV:Factorsthatdeterminethetypeoftoxiceffectachemicalcanhaveonyou.27CHAPTERIV:2728therouteofentrybywhichthechemicalgetsintothebodytheworker'sindividualresponsetothechemical,whichcanvaryagreatdealfrompersontopersonthefrequency,concentration,andlengthofexposurethephysicalformofthechemical(dust,vapour,liquid,etc.)

thechemicalcompositionofthehazardoussubstance

theparticulartissuesandorgansinwhichthechemicalcollectsorlocalizesfactorsthatdeterminethetypeoftoxiceffectachemicalcanhaveonyoufactorsthatdeterminethetypeoftoxiceffect

achemicalcanhaveonyou

28therouteofentrytheworke2829Chemical

Physicalform

Methodof

entry

Organ(s)that

canbe

affected

Classof

effectExamplesof

CadmiummetalandsomeofitscompoundsDusts,vapoursDusts

InhalationIngestionLungs,throat,

kidneysPoisonous,causingdamagetolungs,kidneysonchronicexposure.

Metalindustries,weldingprocesses,heavychemicalsBenzeneVapourInhalation

Absorption

throughskin

Brain,bone,marrow,skin

Poisonous.

Possibly

carcinogenic

Manyindustrialactivities,especiallychemicalindustry,adhesives,

paints,etc.

Nickeland

someofits

compoundsDusts

VapourAbsorption

throughskinInhalationSkinLungs,

nasal

passagesDermatitic

Irritantin

lungs

(nickelcarbonyl).