Immediate or short-term effects |
Agent |
Potential exposures |
Dermatoses (allergic or irritant) |
Metals (chromium, nickel), fibrous glass, epoxy resin, cutting oils, solvents, caustic alkali, soaps |
Electroplating, metal cleaning, plastics, machining, leather tanning, housekeeping |
Headache |
Carbon monoxide, solvents |
Firefighting, automobile exhaust, foundry, wood finishing, dry cleaning |
Behavioral changes |
Lead (especially organic), mercury, carbon disulfide manganese |
Handling gasoline, fungicide, wood preserving, viscose, rayon industry, mining |
Asthma or dry cough |
Formaldehyde, toluene diisocyanate, animal dander, latex, chemical irritants |
Textiles, plastics, polyurethane kits, car painting, lacquer use, animal handling, latex glove use |
Pulmonary edema, pneumonitis |
Nitrogen oxides, phosgene, halogen gases, cadmium |
Welding, farming ("silo filler's disease"), chemical operations, smelting |
Cardiac arrhythmias |
Solvents, fluorocarbons, carbon monoxide |
Metal cleaning, solvent use, refrigerator maintenance, automobile exhaust |
Angina |
Carbon monoxide |
Car repair, traffic exhaust, foundry, wood finishing |
Abdominal pain |
Lead |
Battery making, enameling, smelting, painting, welding, ceramics, plumbing, radiator repair |
Hepatitis (may become a long-term effect) |
Halogenated hydrocarbons (eg, carbon tetrachloride), dimethylformanide, viral infection |
Solvent use, lacquer use, hospital work, electroplating, plastic manufacturing |
Tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, "repetitive strain disorder" (may become a long-term effect) |
Repetitive motions, awkward postures, pinching motions, wrist flexion |
Assembly work, keyboarding, data entry, material handling |