Chemicals have become a part of our life, sustaining many of our activities, preventing and controlling many diseases, increasing agricultural productivity.
However one can not ignore that many of these chemicals may, especially if not properly used, endanger our health and poison our environment.
It has been estimated that approximately one thousand new chemicals come onto the market every year, and about 100 000 chemical substances are used on a global scale. These chemicals are usually found as mixtures in commercial products. One to two million such products or trade names exist in most industrialized countries.
More substances and rising production mean more storage, transport, handling, use and disposal of chemicals. The whole lifecycle of a chemical should be considered when assessing its dangers and benefits.
Most chemical accidents have a limited effect. Occasionally there is a disaster like the one in Bhopal, India, in 1984, with thousands of deaths and many people permanently disabled.
It is not just the worker handling chemicals who is at risk. We may be exposed in our homes through misuse or by accidents, and be contaminated by consumer products including food.
The environment may be affected, chemicals may pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. They may have entered into forests and lakes, destroying wildlife and changing the ecosystems.
Chemicals are not all of equal concern. The assessment of health risks of chemical substances is a continuous process where information of the chemical hazards is made available through a variety of sources.
Remember: chemicals have power, and that is why they have become an important part of our life. Respect that power and handle them with care.
How can workplace chemicals enter our body?No chemical substance can cause adverse effects without first entering the body or coming to contact with it. There are four main ways, that is routes of exposure, for chemical substances to enter the human body: · Inhalation (breathing in) · Absorption (through the skin or eyes) · Ingestion (eating, swallowing) · Transfer across the placenta of a pregnant woman to the unborn baby
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| Most chemicals used at the place of work may be dispersed into the air to form dust, mist, fumes, gas or vapour and can then be inhaled. In this way also workers who are not actually handling them but stay within the reach can be exposed to a mixture of chemicals from various sources. Handling chemical substances without proper protection exposes the worker to the risk of absorbing harmful amounts of chemical through the skin. This usually happens when handling the chemical in liquid form. Dust may also be absorbed through the skin if it is wetted by, for instance, sweat. The capacity of different chemical substances to penetrate the skin varies considerably. Some substances pass through it without creating any feeling. Skin absorption is, after inhalation, the second most common route through which occupational exposure may take place. The protective external layer of skin may be softened (by toluene, dilute washing soda solution, etc) thus permitting other chemicals to enter readily to the bloodstream (such as aniline, phenol, benzene, etc). Eyes may also absorb chemical substances, either from splashes or from vapours. Dangerous chemicals can enter the body through ingestion as gases, dusts, vapours, fumes, liquids or solids. Inhaled dust may be swallowed, and food or cigarettes may be contaminated by dirty hands. Eating, drinking and smoking should be prohibited at a place of work where dangerous chemicals are used. Whatever the route of entry, chemicals can reach the blood stream and be distributed all over the body. In this way damage can be caused at the site of entry as well as to organs distant from the exposed area. |
Solid chemicals can be used in different forms: cakes, pellets, granules, powder wetted with oil, paste. Think about dust formation when choosing the form.
