Common Routes of Chemical Entry into the Bloodstream:

"CHEMICALS"

How many times have you eaten lunch with soiled hands, inhaled chemically laden dust, fumes, and smoke, or allowed chemicals that you knew nothing about to soak into your clothing or contact your skin?

Chemicals are everywhere, and many of them are extremely dangerous. Currently, there are over one quarter million chemicals immediately available to you and your family which are capable of causing injury, illness, or death if used improperly.

Exposure to a toxic chemical may be local or systemic. The local injury is defined as direct contact with tissue such as the skin, eyes, and the lining of the lungs and trachea. Systemic effects occur when the toxic chemical gains entry into the body and attacks specific organs or tissues. There are 4 common routes of systemic entry into the bloodstream:

1. Ingestion
2. Inhalation
3. Injection
4. Skin absorption

Always wash food that has been treated with insecticides and poisons, and wash your hands thoroughly before handling or eating foods. Clean hands are also important if you smoke; chemicals are easily absorbed into cigarette paper, the transferred into your mouth and lungs.

Some of the most dangerous chemicals are too small to see, they are in the form of microscopic dust, vapors, and gasses. Remove these airborne chemicals with adequate ventilation if possible, or wear a respirator which has been designed to filter out that particular type of contaminant

Your skin is not chemical proof, in fact, there are over 600 sweat glands per square inch of skin which allow moisture out but will also allow chemicals into the body.

Chemical contact with the skin can cause rash, severe irritation, blistering, disabling dermatitis, and in addition, after entering the body, some chemicals can cause disorders of the blood, nervous system, organs, bones, respiratory system and many forms of cancer.

Be smart, read and heed the information on warning labels and material safety data sheets before working with any hazardous chemicals.

Follow these safety rules to protect yourself from exposure to hazardous chemicals

1. Refer to labels and material safety data sheets for information about hazardous chemicals and comply with their instructions for safe use.

2. Comply with supervisors instructions for safe use of hazardous chemicals.

3. Use appropriate personal protective equipment such as respirators, eye and face protection, gloves, boots, and protective garments to prevent exposure by inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact or absorption.

4. When a spill, leak, or uncontrolled release of a hazardous chemical is detected, leave the area and report it to a supervisor. If visibly contaminated with a chemical, wash it away. If contaminated or overexposed, seek medical treatment.

5. Substitute a less hazardous chemical or engineer your operations to reduce contaminant levels through local exhaust ventilation, work scheduling or enclosed processes