Methylene Chloride in Bathtub Refinishers Presents Worker Hazards

摘要

In February 2012, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to refinish a bathtub was found dead, slumped over a bathtub in an unventilated bathroom. OSHA and the NIOSH-supported Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program have linked at least 14 worker deaths with stripping agents containing methylene chloride since 2000. A hazard alert by the two agencies encourages employers to use alternative, less-hazardous chemicals or methods to eliminate the use of methylene chloride whenever possible.