Protecting Workers from Exposure to Acrylonitrile and Other Chemical Hazards

The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) describes acrylonitrile as a colorless, liquid, man-made chemical with a sharp, onion- or garlic-like odor that can be dissolved in water and evaporates quickly. It is used in many industries to make various plastics, rubbers and chemicals.
 
Exposure can be harmful to the eyes, skin, lungs and nervous system reports the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH also states that it may cause cancer. Routes of exposure could include inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact with the level of exposure depending upon the dose, duration and work being done. Some examples of workers at potential risk of acrylonitrile contact include:

• Workers involved in the manufacturing of acrylic fibers and plastics
• Employees who work in the coatings and adhesive industries
• Workers in the manufacture of other chemicals like adiponitrile
• Factory workers producing nitrile rubber products

“The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has also concluded that acrylonitrile is possibly carcinogenic and California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added it to the list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer for purposes of Proposition 65 all the way back in 1987,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “This is why NIOSH and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have established occupational exposure limits for the workplace.”
 
To help eliminate or mitigate exposure risks involving acrylonitrile and many other occupational hazards, the industrial hygiene and environmental professionals at CSC offer testing, monitoring, consulting and training services. CSC has even sponsored an educational video about acrylonitrile and potential exposures that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/voyBr2z5Uts
 
To learn more about this or other occupational, indoor air quality, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational, environmental, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

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Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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