We all use chemicals. People can experience exposure to chemicals at home, at work, while shopping, or at the gas station. Chemicals are everywhere. Chemicals are manufactured, imported, exported and used throughout the world. Many of these chemicals are hazardous and can cause injuries, illnesses, or even death. A chemical exposure can cause a minor skin irritation or severe adverse health effects such as cancer, sterility and neurological disorders. Depending on their physical properties chemicals can also cause fires and explosions.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2012 employers reported 36,000 recordable cases of occupational illnesses and 320 worker deaths from exposure to harmful substances. See Table 1 for BLS data covering 2008 to 2012 on illness-related cases caused by poisoning, skin disease and respiratory illness. These exposures, illnesses, and fatalities could have been prevented. That is why in 1983 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) which aimed to reduce such work-related illnesses and fatalities. Most recently in 2012, OSHA updated its HazCom Standard to include the Globally Harmonized System.
The HazCom Standard became effective on August 24, 1987 when the scope of the 1983 version was expanded to cover all industries where employees are potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals. The standard was implemented to protect workers and ensure they were informed of the potential hazard exposures when working with hazardous chemicals, including the exposure limits and methods to prevent such exposures.
Todos usamos químicos. Las personas pueden estar expuestas a químicos en el hogar, el trabajo, centros comerciales o en la gasolinera. Los quÍmicos están en todas partes. Los químicos son manufacturados, exportados y usados alrededor del mundo. Muchos de estos químicos son peligrosos y pueden ocasionar lesiones, enfermedades y hasta la muerte. Una exposición a quÍmicos puede ocasionar una irritación menor en la piel o efectos severos a la salud tales como cáncer, esterilidad y desórdenes neurológicos. Dependiendo de sus propiedades físicas, los químicos también pueden ocasionar fuegos y explosiones.
De acuerdo con la oficina de estadísticas laborales del departamento del Trabajo de E.U. (BLS por sus siglas en inglés), en el 2012 los patrones reportaron 36,000 casos de enfermedades laborales y 320 fatalidades debido a la exposición a sustancias peligrosas. Vea la tabla 1 para la información del BLS sobre las enfermedades entre el 2008 y 2012 que ocasionaron envenenamiento, enfermedades de la piel y enfermedades respiratorias. Estas exposiciones, enfermedades y fatalidades pudieron ser prevenidas.
