Chemical injuries can cause many issues including toxicity, problems with the reproductive system, skin, breathing issues and neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore if you have been subject to a chemical injury in the workplace such as a burn, or have developed a chemical-related disease from your workplace you should first and foremost, visit a doctors. Then secondly, investigate claiming Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit from the government due to your disorder. Thirdly, contact a specialist work injuries lawyer to see whether you can claim for financial compensation. It may be that your employer did not have the correct health and safety procedures in place to prevent the contraction of a disease or the injury itself.
Effects of exposure to Chemicals
Inhalation of manganese fumes: Central nervous system toxicity characterised by parkinsonism, peripheral neuropathy (pain, tingling, burning sensation or a loss of sensation in the fingers and toes)
Exposure to cadmium fumes: emphysema
Lead: exposure to dust, fumes or compound containing lead may cause anaemia
Phosphorus: phossy jaw, peripheral polyneuropathy or peripheral polyneuropathy with pyramidal involvement of the central nervous system.
Arsenic: primary carcinoma of the lung or the bronchus, carcinoma of the skin
Mercury and Methyl-mercury: Prolonged exposure is particularly dangerous to the brain. Exposure to mercury for extended periods of times can cause central nervous system toxicity, degeneration of the cerebellum and cerebral cortex and result in neuropsychiatric disorders and tremors.
Carbon disulphide, acrylamide, n-hexane and methyl bromide: peripheral neuropathy
Benzene: Acute non-lymphatic leukaemia
Chlorinated naphthalenes: cirrhosis of the liver
Gonioma kamassi: neurotoxicity and cardio-toxicity
Quinone and hydraquinone: dystrophy of the cornea, wasting and ulceration of the cornea
Unrefined nickel: primary carcinoma of the lungs or bronchus, primary carcinoma of the nasal passages (also caused by exposure to chromates)
Vinyl chloride monomer: angiosarcoma of the liver (rapidly proliferating malignant cells, high rate of tumour related death), osteolysis of the terminal phalanges of the fingers (dissolution or degeneration of the bone tissue), sclerodermatous thickening of the skin of the hands, liver fibrosis (scarring of the liver which over time may lead to cirrhosis), Raynaud’s phenomenon (discolouration of the fingers and toes, rarely may lead to gangrene)
Carbon tetrachloride and chloroform: Liver toxicity and kidney toxicity
Chromic acid, chromates and dichromates: dermatitis
Diacetyl: Bronchiolitis obliterans – a rare, life threatening lung disease in which the bronchioles become compressed and narrowed due to scar tissue and inflammation.
As can be seen, different chemicals can cause varying levels of discomfort, from mild irritation, to damaged vision, to being potentially lethal.