Types of Chemical Hazards and How to Manage Them
Types of Chemical Hazards and How to Manage Them
Industrial development and increasing demand for diverse goods and
services to cater to the increasing whims and needs of humanity have resulted
in chemicals being utilized in many products and processes. This has increased
the chemical exposure of people, both at home and in the workplace. Therefore,
exposure to chemicals and their harmful effects has spread across the globe at
alarming rates causing a rise in health problems and negatively affecting
worker safety.
Chemical hazards are mainly caused by the characteristics of chemical
substances that may cause explosions, fires, or corrosions; or emit poisonous
gases or mini particles. Often, chemical substances react negatively when
exposed to, or mixed with, other materials or chemical substances. For instance,
asbestos particles are usually dispersed in the atmosphere when moved.
Routes of Chemical Exposure
While the use of chemicals in processes, production, and goods have
benefited people in many ways, these chemical substances are also the cause of
chemical hazards. There are several routes of chemical exposure as described
below.
- Inhalation – that is breathing in toxic vapors or
small chemical particles
- Absorption – such as direct exposure to the skin by
touching a chemical substance without any protection such as wearing
gloves.
- Injection – that is when a sharp contaminated
object or needle accidentally penetrates a worker’s body (such as hand or
foot)
- Ingestion – that is when toxins are accidentally
swallowed
Human biology allows chemicals and other toxic substances to enter the
body in different ways. The most common is inhalation when harmful gases are
present in the atmosphere. Another is through direct contact of the skin with
the hazardous substance. Injection of a hazardous chemical or contaminated
substance is possible is if employees are working in laboratories or medical
facilities dealing with contaminated needles and other infectious materials.
Ingestion is the fourth method, but it is a less common form of exposure in the
workplace.
There are several types of chemical hazards in the workplace. While there are several classifications for these chemical hazards, many of these hazardous chemical substances fall within several of these classifications.
1.Asphyxiants
Chemical asphyxiants deprive the body of
oxygen; interrupting the transfer and use of oxygen by the bloodstream.
Asphyxiant Chemical Examples: Carbon monoxide
and cyanide.
2.Corrosives
Chemical corrosives cause visible and/or
irreversible changes to the composition of a material due to direct contact.
Similarly, these can also cause a localized reaction in the human body at the
point of contact. However, corrosive chemicals also have the potential to
produce systemic chemical exposure away from the point of contact when mixed
with other substances.
Corrosive Chemical Examples: Sulfuric acid and
sodium hydroxide.
3.Irritants
Chemical hazards that are classified as
irritants cause harm to the eyes, skin, or respiratory tract of a person.
Irritants are either highly, moderately, or slightly water-soluble. The hazards
can manifest as redness, rashes, inflammation, coughing, or haemorrhaging.
Irritants are mostly short-term severe illnesses but can also have long-lasting
side effects in some people. People can also have an allergic reaction to some
of these chemical materials with long-lasting health impacts or even be fatal.
Irritant
Causing Chemical Examples: nickel
chloride and chromic acid.
4.Sensitizers
Sensitizers are also known as allergens
meaning they cause an allergic reaction in people who face repeated exposure
over time to certain chemicals. Reactions to chemicals deemed as sensitizers
vary from person to person and can be either acute or chronic. Chemical
exposure can manifest as swelling of the airway or develop into dangerous
illnesses such as lung disease. Some diseases such as asthma and contact dermatitis
become common among people due to over-exposure to chemicals.
Allergen Causing Chemical
Examples: Chlorine and alkalis.
5.Carcinogens
Carcinogens are cancer-causing chemical
substances, and a small amount of such a chemical is enough to severely harm
human health. The hazards of such chemical substances will only appear many
years after the exposure. There are over 200 known human carcinogens.
Chemical Carcinogen Examples: Benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, and vinyl chloride.
6.Mutagens
Chemicals classified as mutagens cause
genetic changes to a cell’s DNA and RNA. Genetic changes can cause cancer,
prevent normal biological functions, or may result in the malfunction of a
particular organ. Examples: Benzene, ionizing radiation, and hydrogen peroxide.
7.Teratogens
Chemical teratogens can disrupt the normal
development of a fetus causing birth defects and even the healthy advancement
of pregnancy.
Chemical Teratogen Examples: Thalidomide, ionizing radiation, and organic mercury
compounds.
8.Reactive
Chemical substances that cause a chemical
hazard such as an explosion when mixed or combined with other chemical or
non-chemical substances such as water or air.
Reactive Chemical Examples: Nitric acid,
benzoyl peroxide, and silane.
9.Flammable
Many chemicals are characterized as
flammable as they can easily burn or ignite when exposed to oxygen.
Flammable Chemical Examples: Methanol, acetone, propane, and butane.
Managing Workplace Chemical Hazards
The Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guides employers to protect employees in the
workplace from chemical hazards. Using the strategy of the Hierarchy of Controls, developed by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the recommendations from the most effective to
the least effective ways to control chemical hazards are as follows:
- Elimination/Substitution – where the need for hazardous chemical
usage is completely removed or an alternate less or non-hazardous chemical
is used.
- Engineering
Controls – where employers must
implement changes that are physical to the workplace that helps to reduce
exposure to the
chemical hazard on the workers using or handling hazardous chemical
substances.
- Administrative
and Work Practice Controls – changing how a work task is performed or establishing
efficient workplace policies, protocols, processes, and control and
monitoring mechanisms.
- Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) – using PPE such as respirators, gloves,
protective full-body suits, etc., can help in reducing the workers’ direct
contact with the hazardous chemical.
