Workplace toxic exposure

At the law firm of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC, in Louisiana, we know that you often can be subjected to dangerous and/or deadly workplace conditions if you are an industrial worker. Places such as chemical plants, factories and warehouses can be dangerous places to work because of the potentially hazardous toxins and chemicals found there.

As FindLaw explains, you need to be vigilant while at work in order to protect yourself from toxic exposure. Federal and state laws and regulations require that your employer give you information about any hazardous materials with which you may come into contact as part of your job. You have a right to see the Material Safety Data Sheet for each potentially dangerous substance and/or product present in your workplace.

MSD sheets tell you how to handle and work with hazardous workplace materials. They also tell you how to store and dispose of them, the health effects of exposure, and what types of protective equipment you should use, including masks, safety gloves and other special clothing. In addition, they set forth the proper procedures to follow if you find yourself in an emergency toxic exposure situation.

Preventative measures

Always make sure your work area is well ventilated whenever you are working with a hazardous material whose fumes you could breathe in. Isolate yourself from the material as much as possible by means of protective clothing and staying behind any barriers around the material. If you feel that a safer procedure or method of dealing with the material could be used, do not hesitate to bring this information to the attention of your supervisor and other administrative employees.

Read and make sure you understand all warning labels. Seek immediate medical attention if you believe you have come into contact with a hazardous material in any manner whatsoever. For more information on this subject, please visit this page on our website.