Workplace exposure

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The American Academy of Dermatology cautions outdoor workers to be aware of an invisible hazard: the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Exposure to these rays for hours is a major risk factor for a number of skin cancers, including melanoma – the most serious form.

Breathing problems. Itchy skin, rashes and burns. Irritated eyes. For some workers, including maintenance workers, janitors and housekeepers, these symptoms may have a common factor: cleaning products.

Occupational asthma is a respiratory disease in which on-the-job exposure to certain substances causes the airways of a person’s lungs to swell and narrow.

Toluene – often used in paint, metal cleaners and adhesives – is a clear, colorless liquid that vaporizes when exposed to air at room temperature. According to OSHA, it also has a sharp and sweet smell, which is a sign of exposure.

You can’t smell it, taste it or see it, but it can be deadly. Carbon monoxide – sometimes referred to as the “silent killer” – prevents oxygen from going into the body and can result in death in a short period of time, the Michigan Department of Community Health states. But how does carbon monoxide form, and when are workers at risk?

Pneumoconiosis is an encompassing term given to “any lung disease caused by dusts that are breathed in and then deposited deep in the lungs causing damage,” the American Lung Association states. Pneumoconiosis generally is considered an occupational lung disease because exposure to the dusts that can cause the condition often takes place at work.

From homes and workplaces to sidewalks and playgrounds, cement is everywhere. According to the Portland Cement Association, cement is one of the safest building materials available – when precautions are observed.