Toxicity Trends

Chemical exposure refers to coming into contact with toxic substances, which can have negative effects on health including cancer, organ damage, weakened immune systems, and reproductive problems. It can happen through three main routes of exposure: breathing, ingestion, and skin contact. Chemical exposure can occur in the workplace and cause illnesses in workers, while emergency situations can also lead to exposure. The most common chemicals associated with injury include carbon monoxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. Symptoms of chemical exposure can include tearing eyes, burning sensations in the eyes, nose, throat, chest and skin, headaches, sweating, blurred vision, stomach aches, and diarrhea. There are two types of chemical hazards in the workplace- health hazards and physicochemical hazards. Chronic exposure, or repeated contact with toxic substances over a long period of time, can have serious health consequences.