Chemical exposure in private industries can lead to fatal illnesses and injuries. It has affected more than 20% of the workforce in the United States. It’s a challenging problem faced by employers who handle a business that relies on chemical products.
If you’re an employer with a business under the chemical industry category, it’s time to take the problem seriously. Be a part of the government’s advocacy to lower the incidence of workers affected by chemical exposure.
To protect your workers, you must understand the bad effects of chemical exposure. Here are some of the bad effects you need to know:
- Coughing, sore throat and wheezing
- Red and itchy eyes
- Eye burns
- Skin rashes and skin burn
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nosebleeds
- Allergic reaction
- Asthma
- Organ diseases
- Cancer
Chemical exposure happens in three different ways including inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion. Your employees can inhale chemicals through the fumes and smoke when chemicals are not mixed according to its required concentration.
Your employees can experience skin contact when they do not handle the chemicals properly. The product may splash to their skin, which leads to a chemical burn.
Ingestion also happens but on rare occasion. Yet, it’s still important that you inform your employees to avoid ingesting the chemical as it can poison them.
As a business owner, you have responsibilities to comply to protect your employees from chemical products at work. Implementing the safety rules keep the employees healthy. It avoids the risk of complicated health problems. If you have a healthy staff, your company continues its productivity.
HERE ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EMPLOYER:
Protective clothing – You must provide protective clothing to your employees. They must wear a laboratory gown, gloves and safety goggles. The sensitive parts of their body should be protected.
Proper label – Train your employees to label the chemical containers properly. Ensure that the labels are clear that they can understand without confusion. There are chemicals that can’t be mixed together. If they accidentally mix it, your employees will be harmed.
Chemical storage – You must train your employees to practice proper storing of chemicals. It helps in organizing the workplace and prevents clutter. Through proper storage, they can easily locate the chemicals they need. Also, there are chemicals that must be stored in a place with a specific temperature. You must ensure that they follow such requirement.
Spills problems – Because accident happens in the working area, you must train your employees how to clean properly an area after a chemical spill. There are chemicals that can’t be mixed with water because it can lead to an explosion.
Visible reminders – It’s not enough that you put the proper label in the chemical containers. It’s helpful when you post reminders in the work area. It serves as a reminder for the employees, especially during emergencies. The visible reminders avoid employees to come up with wrong decisions in treating emergency cases. However, you must ensure that the guidelines come in an easy step-by-step process to avoid confusion in understanding it.
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