Hazard alert warns of methylene chloride dangers

摘要

Washington - OSHA and NIOSH recently issued a hazard alert that warns bathroom refinishers of the dangers associated with methylene chloride. Workers can be exposed to methylene chloride - a colorless solvent - by inhaling it or absorbing it through their skin. The alert states that although the solvent has a sweet smell, the odor is noticeable only at levels above OSHA's permissible exposure limit, so by the time workers smell it they have been overexposed. In addition, workers can become desensitized to the odor.