Preventing Exposures to Vinyl Chloride and Other Occupational Chemical Hazards in Puerto Rico

Vinyl chloride is an important industrial chemical that is produced in large quantities as a chemical intermediate for use in manufacturing other products. This includes polyvinyl chloride or PVC as it is commonly known. PVC is used to make a wide variety of plastic products, including pipes, wire and cable coatings, and packaging materials.
 
While this chemical compound is important for industry and the production of many of the products that modern society depends upon, exposure to it can be hazardous to workers in industries that utilize it. Vinyl chloride exposure, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer known as hepatic angiosarcoma, as well as brain and lung cancers, lymphoma and leukemia.
 
NCI states that workers at facilities where vinyl chloride is produced or used may be exposed primarily through inhalation. The general population may be exposed by inhaling contaminated air or tobacco smoke. In the environment, the highest levels of vinyl chloride are found in air around factories that produce vinyl products. If a water supply is contaminated, vinyl chloride can enter household air when the water is used for showering, cooking or laundry activities.
 
“Due to the dangers associated with occupational exposures to vinyl chloride, there are strict government regulations meant to protect workers,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “There is an OSHA permissible exposure limit, NIOSH recommended exposure limit and an ACGIH threshold limit value. At Zimmetry, we offer environmental and industrial hygiene testing services to identify vinyl chloride and a wide range of other potential chemical exposure concerns. These services protect the health of workers while helping to keep companies and institutions in regulatory compliance.”
 
Zimmetry recently sponsored an educational video about vinyl chloride and exposure concerns that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/HWN9GMeR3JM
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their occupational, industrial hygiene, environmental, air quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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