In their everyday lives, the ordinary individual comes into touch with an untold amount of harmful substances, ranging from cleaning products to pesticides on food to toxins in our water systems.
However, employees in particular industries are more likely to be exposed to harmful substances, making it more probable that they may develop serious health issues as a result of their jobs. They may be eligible to petition for workers’ compensation based on their exposure to harmful substances at work in certain scenarios.
There is only so much you can do to protect yourself
No matter how many measures you take, such as donning specific protective gear or wearing a mask, it’s practically impossible to avoid being exposed to harmful substances in some sectors. Work on farms, where pesticides are sprayed on crops, mining, where diesel fumes are constantly absorbed, construction sector employment, any career requiring welding or painting, and work in the aerospace industry are all examples of this.
Furthermore, employment in the food business may expose workers to harmful substances. For example, the flavor on microwave popcorn, a common snack meal, might be harmful if breathed. Employees who work in factories that make these items are at a high risk of exposure to these chemicals and, as a result, of developing a job-related sickness.
Employers do not always provide warnings that they should
Workers expect their employers to provide them with unambiguous warning labels, signs, and other information about the dangers of dangerous substances. This can happen with things that are known to be harmful, such as caustic chemicals, acids, and radioactive elements.
But what about things like popcorn flavoring, which employers may not consider to be toxic? Or elements that may appear harmless in tiny amounts, such as cleaning solutions, but become harmful when a worker is exposed to them regularly over time?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established to safeguard employees from accidents at work, including harmful chemical exposure. OSHA mandates businesses to educate and warn employees about the dangers of known hazardous compounds, but it also allows for a limited degree of allowable airborne chemical exposure. Employees must either be removed from the work area or the employer must take steps to make the air safe for employees to breathe again if the chemical level in the air exceeds a defined limit.
Toxic chemical exposure can cause a variety of catastrophic ailments, including breathing difficulties, memory loss, internal body troubles, and severe skin burns. These injuries can arise right after exposure or over time as a result of long-term exposure to the toxin.
If you were injured or became unwell as a result of being exposed to a hazardous chemical at work, you may be eligible to workers’ compensation. Our trained workers’ compensation attorneys at PLBH know how to obtain injured employees the money and benefits they deserve for their ailments, including hazardous chemical and other substance exposure. To book a free first consultation and learn more about how we can help you, call PLBH at (800) 435-7542.