Chemical Effects
The effects chemicals have on the various organs of the human body depend on several important factors:
Chemical Hazards
- The form of the chemical: Is it a solid, liquid, or gas?
- The route of entry: How does the chemical contact the body? Is it ingested, inhaled, absorbed or injected?
- The dose: What amount of the chemical enters the body?
- The toxicity: How poisonous is the chemical?
Routes of Entry
Another important task when assessing the workplace for chemical hazards is to determine the route(s) of entry the chemicals may take. Knowing the route(s) of entry allows for the determination of appropriate engineering, administrative, and PPE controls to eliminate or reduce exposure. The four common routes of entry are:
- Ingestion: Do we eat or drink it?
- Inhalation: Do we breathe it in? This is the most common route of entry.
- Absorption: Does it pass through the skin, eyes or other membranes?
- Injection: Does it enter through a puncture or cut?
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
7-2. What is the most common route of entry for chemical exposure in the workplace?
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