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Benzene Exposure: Who's at Risk?
More than three million
workers are potentially exposed to benzene every year. The
use of benzene as a solvent has been banned in the US for
more than 20 years, but unfortunately, there is still benzene
in most petroleum solvents. Workers may inhale vapors from
the solvent or absorb vapors through their skin.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that
50% of the US population has been exposed to benzene through
industrial sources such as oil refineries and chemical plants.
Benzene exposure risks if you work in:
- chemical laboratories
- pharmaceuticals manufacturing
- industrial plants that manufacture or use benzene
- oil refineries
- chemical and petrochemical plants (including some offshore
installations)
- pesticide (herbicide & insecticide) manufacturing
- printing
- gasoline distribution
- pulp and paper manufacturing
- wood stain and varnish manufacturing
- synthetic rubber production
- adhesive production
- shoe and leather manufacturing
Benzene exposure risks if you work with:
- emissions from burning coal and oil
- motor vehicle exhaust
- spray painting
- industrial solvents
- evaporation from gasoline or service stations (gasoline
fumes have 1,000 times the concentration recommended by
the National Institute of Occupational and Safety Health)
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