Twenty years ago a congressional committee prepared a report titled “Chemical Dangers in the Workplace.” This report stated that “the threat posed to the health of workers by toxic substances causes an estimated 100,000 deaths and 390,000 illnesses every year.”
Not much has changed in the last 20 years. Every day new chemicals are used in new industrial processes. Most of these chemicals aren’t even tested before workers are exposed to them! You have a right to know what you are being exposed to and what their hazards are.
Under the federal Hazard Communication Standard, every chemical company that supplies a product to your employer must provide the employer with a Material Safety Data Sheet (“MSDS”). The MSDS must identify all hazardous ingredients in the product (except those that are trade secrets). This contains information regarding fire / explosion hazards, health hazards, reactivity, procedures for spills / leaks, respiratory protection and ventilation. By law, your employer must make available to you material safety data sheets for all chemicals that you encounter in your work environment.
Machine cleaning, underground mining, and surface mining, are just a few jobs where employees have increased chances of obtaining toxic chemical injuries, including:
- Silicosis (black lung) from silica dust, which can be caused from inhaling coal dust. Coal dust exposure can be from sandblasting or rock blasting in areas where coal is located. Quarry workers and coalminers are particularly susceptible to lung disease caused by coal dust exposure. People involved in road construction may also be exposed to silica dust, when blasting through coal laden areas to construct roads.
- Cancer and Brain Damage from creosote (used in railroad ties), naphtha (used in petrochemicals, solvents, preservatives, and equipment cleansers), spray paint (both thinner and solvent), and benzene exposure (usually found in industrial chemicals).
The above list is not all-inclusive regarding occupational diseases caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, and obviously other chemicals can cause serious injury including:
- Asbestos
- Lead Poisoning
- Environmental Contamination
If you’re suffering from a toxic chemical injury, or a loved one is suffering from (or has been killed by) a toxic chemical, contact our New York lawyers today for a free confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can assist in determining the cause of injuries and the potentially responsible parties.