CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE

Esra YILMAZ

Environmental Engineer

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Content• General information about chemicals

• Routes of entry into the body/health effects

• Common chemical groups that cause health risks

• Factors that determine the type of toxic effect a chemical can have on you.

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CHAPTER I:General information about chemicals

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Chemicals

• Chemicals are a part of everyone's life. • There are five to seven million different

chemicals known in the world. • At least four hundred million tonnes of chemicals

are produced worldwide each year (including agricultural chemicals, food additives, fuels for power production, chemical consumer products, etc.)

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Types of chemicals found in the

workplace The main physical forms of chemicals are solids, dusts, liquids, vapours and gases.

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Solids

Solids are the least likely of the chemical forms to cause chemical poisoning.

Dusts are tiny particles of solids.

Dusts

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Liquids

Many hazardous substances, such as acids and solvents, are liquids when they are at normal temperature.

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Vapours

A vapour is the gas phase of a material which is normally liquid under standard conditions.

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Gases

Some chemical substances are in the form of a gas when they are at a normal temperature. However, some chemicals in liquid or solid form become gases when they are heated.

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ClassificationAccording to

Biological Effects

Asphyxiant gases Irritant gases

Chlorine, phosgene, nitrogen compounds

Systematic gasesalcohols and

carbon tetrachloride

Narcotic gasesToluene, benzene

Simple asphyxiants(CO2,methane,ethane,

buthane,nitrogen gases)

Chemical asphyxiants(CO,

hydrogen sulphide )

Gases

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CHAPTER II:

Routes of entry into the body/health effects

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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY

ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY

IngestionIngestion

InhalationInhalation

Contact with skin or eyes (absorption) Contact with skin or eyes (absorption)

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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-1

ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-1

InhalationInhalation

More hazardous agents get into your body by inhalation(by being breathed in) than by any other route.

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How do you know whether you are being exposed to respiratory hazards

at work?

• smell

• sneezing

• coughing

• a runny nose

Warning signals are:

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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-2

ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-2

IngestionIngestion

Hazardous agents can also get into the body by ingestion.

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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-3

ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE BODY-3AbsorptionAbsorption

Some chemicals (such as strong acids and alkalis) can damage your skin. This condition is called dermatitis.

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Contact dermatitis

Another common occupational skin disease is contact dermatitis — a type of allergic reaction.

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Some of the chemicals that cause contact dermatitis are:

• formaldehyde;

• nickel compounds;

• epoxy resins and catalysts used in the plastics industry;

• germicidal agents used in soap and other cleaners

• chromates.

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CHAPTER III:Common chemical groups that cause

health risks

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GasesSulphur oxides,

Nitrogen oxides,

Chlorine,

Ammonia

Some toxic gases are corrosive and irritating to the respiratory system.

Hydrogen cyanideSome gases can pass through the skin

Carbon monoxideSome gases may enter the blood circulation.

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Solvents

• Most industrial solvents are liquid organic chemicals

• Many of them evaporate rapidly at ambient temperatures

• They are often flammable and may ignite by heat from smoking, welding or static electricity.

• Example of very dangerous solvents:Benzene, carbon tetra cloride, carbon disulphide.

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Metals Metals can enter the body in the form of dust

and fumes (in grinding or welding) or even through the skin.

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Acids and bases

Strong acids and bases are mostly used as water solutions. They are corrosive to human tissue.

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Pesticides

Pesticides are used in industry, for example, to impregnate wood, and in agriculture to control insects, weed, fungi, and rats.

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Different organs and tissues that can be affected by certain toxic industrial

chemicals.

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CHAPTER IV:

Factors that determine the type of toxic effect a chemical can

have on you.

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the route of entry by which

the chemical gets into the body

the worker's individual response to the chemical,

which can vary a great deal from person to person

the frequency, concentration,

and length of exposure

the physical form of the

chemical (dust, vapour, liquid, etc.)

the chemical composition

of the hazardous

substance

the particular tissues

and organs in which the chemical

collects or localizes factors that

determine the type of toxic effect

a chemical can have on you

factors that determine the type of toxic effect

a chemical can have on you

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Chemical Physical form

Method of entry

Organ(s) thatcan be affected

Class ofeffect

Examples of

Cadmium metal and some of its compounds

Dusts, vapours

Dusts

Inhalation

Ingestion

Lungs, throat,kidneys

Poisonous, causing damage to lungs, kidneys on chronic

exposure.

Metal industries, welding processes, heavy chemicals

Benzene Vapour Inhalation

Absorption

through skin

Brain, bone,

marrow, skin Poisonous.Possiblycarcinogenic

Many industrial activities, especially chemical industry, adhesives,

paints,etc. Nickel andsome of itscompounds

Dusts

Vapour

Absorptionthrough skin

Inhalation

Skin

Lungs,nasal passages

Dermatitic

Irritant in lungs(nickel carbonyl).Carcinogenic on chronic exposure

Metallurgical industries, heavy chemicals, laboratory workers

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Summary

• Chemicals are a part of everyone's life.

• The main physical forms of chemicals are solids, dusts, liquids, vapours and gases.

• Routes of entry into the body:inhalation, ingestion, absorption

• There are a lot of factors that determine the type of toxic effect a chemical can have on you

• Be aware different chemical materials in your workplace and you can exposure to them.

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THANK YOU!!!