The Safety Blog - I am Wright.com

There are four routes of entry in the body for chemicals:

• Skin and eye contact: Irritation (e.g., itchiness, blisters) caused by solvents, degreasers, soaps; burns caused by corrosives; internal reactions (e.g., toxins) caused by hydrocarbon solvents; and allergic reactions (e.g., hives) caused by chromates or nickel
• Inhalation: Headache, nausea, dizziness, lung damage
• Swallowing: This usually means contact with food or smoking, not openly drinking a hazardous chemical. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, liver or kidney damage
• Penetration (skin absorption): The introduction of a chemical with a needle or being absorbed through the skin

The MSDS will list the dosage, or exposure level, allowed for each hazardous chemical. These exposure levels are typically called Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) as set by OSHA or Threshold Limit Value (TLV) as recommended by ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) and refer to the quantity of hazardous chemical that an average employee can safely be exposed to in an eight-hour work day. This is just like your doctor telling you to take one pill every eight hours. If you take two pills in an eight hour period, you are technically overdosing and could suffer some side effects. The company works to maintain exposure levels below these levels with engineering controls, ventilation, PPE, etc.

Depending on the dosage you will suffer could suffer from:

• Acute effects: These are short-term effects or symptoms that disappear once the victim is no longer exposed to the chemical. They include rashes, burns, respiratory irritation, and poisoning.
• Chronic effects: These are long-term effects that develop over a long period of exposure. They include allergies, lung or liver damage, cancer, etc.

This is why it is important to read the MSDS sheets and know what the recommended PPE and First Aid is for the chemicals you using. This first-aid information is generic and will work for most chemicals:

• Eyes: Flush with water for 15 minutes
• Skin: Wash with soap and water
• Inhalation: Move to fresh air
• Swallowing: Get emergency medical assistance

However, the chemical label and MSDS will provide the best first-aid information. An MSDS should accompany anyone who is going to see a medical provider because of exposure to a chemical.

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