CHEMICALS IN
THE WORKPLACE
Esra YILMAZ
Environmental Engineer
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.
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Dusts
Dusts are tiny particles of
solids.
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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Gases
Classification
According to
Biological Effects
Asphyxiant gases
Simple asphyxiants
(CO2,methane,ethane,
buthane,nitrogen gases)
Irritant gases
Chlorine, phosgene,
nitrogen compounds
Systematic gases
alcohols and
carbon tetrachloride
Narcotic gases
Toluene,
benzene
Chemical asphyxiants
(CO,
hydrogen sulphide )
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CHAPTER II:
Routes of entry into the body/health
effects
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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE
BODY
Inhalation
Ingestion
Contact with skin or eyes (absorption)
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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE
BODY-1
Inhalation
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?
Warning signals are:
•
•
•
•
smell
sneezing
coughing
a runny nose
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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE
BODY-2
Ingestion
Hazardous agents can also get into the body by ingestion.
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ROUTES of ENTRY INTO THE
BODY-3
Absorption
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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Gases
Some toxic gases are
corrosive and irritating
to the respiratory
system.
Sulphur oxides,
Nitrogen oxides,
Chlorine,
Ammonia
Some gases can pass
through the skin
Some gases may enter
the blood circulation.
Hydrogen cyanide
Carbon monoxide
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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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factors that determine the type of toxic effect
a chemical can have on you
the route of entry
by which
the chemical gets
into the body
the particular
tissues
and organs
in which the chemical
collects
or localizes
the chemical
composition
of the hazardous
the worker's individual
response to the chemical,
which can vary a great deal
from person to person
factors that
determine
the type of
toxic effect
a chemical can
have on you
the frequency,
concentration,
and length of exposure
substance
the physical form
of the
chemical (dust,
vapour, liquid, etc.)
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Chemical
Physical
form
Method of
entry
Organ(s) that
can be
affected
Class of
effect
Examples of
Cadmium metal and
some of its
compounds
Dusts,
vapours
Inhalation
Lungs, throat,
kidneys
Dusts
Ingestion
Poisonous,
causing
damage to
lungs, kidneys
on chronic
Metal
industries,
welding
processes,
heavy
chemicals
exposure.
Benzene
Vapour
Inhalation
Brain, bone,
marrow, skin
Poisonous.
Possibly
carcinogenic
Absorption
through skin
Many industrial
activities,
especially
chemical
industry,
adhesives,
paints,etc.
Nickel and
some of its
compounds
Dusts
Vapour
Absorption
through skin
Inhalation
Skin
Dermatitic
Lungs,
nasal
passages
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!!!
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