Protecting Workers from Exposure Risks to 2-Butoxyethanol and Other Potential Chemical Dangers
Clark Seif Clark provides industrial hygiene testing, consulting and training services to protect workers and to help keep companies in regulatory compliance.
Exposure to 2-butoxyethanol can harm the eyes, skin, kidneys and blood warns NIOSH.
2-Butoxyethanol is described by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as an organic compound that is a colorless liquid with a mild odor. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports it smells like ether and goes by various trade names.
It is used in numerous industries, including as a solvent. 2-Butoxyethanol can be found in paint strippers, thinners and some household cleaners. Examples of some of the workers potentially at risk of being exposed to 2-butoxyethanol include the following according to NIOSH:
- Workers in silk-screening and printing occupations
- Workers who make or refinish furniture
- Workers who use spray paints
- Employees exposed to certain household cleaners
- Mechanics and others exposed to hydraulic fluids
- Factory workers who manufacture certain cosmetics
“Exposure to 2-butoxyethanol can harm the eyes, skin, kidneys and blood warns NIOSH,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “ATSDR cautions that breathing in large amounts of 2-butoxyethanol may result in irritation of the nose and eyes, headache and vomiting. The main routes of occupational exposure include breathing contaminated air and skin contact. To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for 2-butoxyethanol. Cal/OSHA also has its own PEL.”
Assisting companies and institutions that utilize 2-butoxyethanol and other industrial chemicals to protect their workers from exposure risks are the industrial hygiene professionals at CSC. They offer testing, monitoring, consulting and training services to safeguard employees and conform to health and safety standards. CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about 2-butoxyethanol and occupational exposure hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/p3Y17wNRzQU
To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, 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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Indoor Air Quality- Contact Information
- Paul Cochrane
- President
- Cochrane & Associates, LLC
- Contact via E-mail
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