Vinyl Chloride Work
Vinyl Chloride Work
Health Hazards
Acute:
Inhalation:
1.1 Overexposure can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, euphoria, nervous tension, drowsiness, headaches, blurred vision, hearing impairment, and confusion.
1.2 Extremely high concentrations (greater than 70,000 ppm) may lead to unconsciousness and death.
1.3 Its vapor moderately irritates the nose and throat.
1.4 Skin: Contact with the liquid may cause frostbite due to its rapid evaporation.
Eyes:
2.1 Contact with the liquid causes immediate pain, severe irritation, and permanent damage similar to frostbite.
2.2 Its vapor moderately irritates the eyes.
Skin: Causes frostbite, skin irritation, and skin cyanosis (bluish discoloration).
Chronic:
Can cause hepatic angiosarcoma, a rare liver cancer. Vinyl chloride is also associated with cancers of the brain, lungs, blood, and lymphatic systems.
The carcinogenic effects on the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems (including breast cancer in women) remain under evaluation.
Many reports indicate that workers exposed to vinyl chloride have an increased frequency of chromosomal changes in blood cells. Most studies before 1975 involved exposures above 20 ppm, while studies after 1975 have shown no significant differences in chromosomal changes when exposure levels were reduced to 12 ppm or lower.
Prolonged past exposure to high concentrations (thousands of ppm) led to skin and bone diseases, but these can now be prevented by controlling exposure.
Nervous System: May cause trigeminal neuropathy, mild pyramidal signs, cerebellar dysfunction, and extrapyramidal syndrome.
Suggestions:
Level 1 Management: No specific regulations.
Level 2-4 Management:
Consider health conditions unsuitable for this type of work, such as chronic hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, contact dermatitis, and health protection for pregnant workers.
Health Hazards
Acute:
Inhalation:
1.1 Overexposure can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, euphoria, nervous tension, drowsiness, headaches, blurred vision, hearing impairment, and confusion.
1.2 Extremely high concentrations (greater than 70,000 ppm) may lead to unconsciousness and death.
1.3 Its vapor moderately irritates the nose and throat.
1.4 Skin: Contact with the liquid may cause frostbite due to its rapid evaporation.
Eyes:
2.1 Contact with the liquid causes immediate pain, severe irritation, and permanent damage similar to frostbite.
2.2 Its vapor moderately irritates the eyes.
Skin: Causes frostbite, skin irritation, and skin cyanosis (bluish discoloration).
Chronic:
Can cause hepatic angiosarcoma, a rare liver cancer. Vinyl chloride is also associated with cancers of the brain, lungs, blood, and lymphatic systems.
The carcinogenic effects on the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems (including breast cancer in women) remain under evaluation.
Many reports indicate that workers exposed to vinyl chloride have an increased frequency of chromosomal changes in blood cells. Most studies before 1975 involved exposures above 20 ppm, while studies after 1975 have shown no significant differences in chromosomal changes when exposure levels were reduced to 12 ppm or lower.
Prolonged past exposure to high concentrations (thousands of ppm) led to skin and bone diseases, but these can now be prevented by controlling exposure.
Nervous System: May cause trigeminal neuropathy, mild pyramidal signs, cerebellar dysfunction, and extrapyramidal syndrome.
Suggestions:
Level 1 Management: No specific regulations.
Level 2-4 Management:
Consider health conditions unsuitable for this type of work, such as chronic hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, contact dermatitis, and health protection for pregnant workers.