Chemical Safety

exposure to hazardous chemicals

chemical safetyexposure to hazardous chemicals, chemical exposure, dangers of chemistry

Understanding exposure to hazardous chemicals

Exposure to hazardous chemicals happens when a substance gets into or onto the body in a way that can cause harm. In the workplace, this may occur during routine handling (mixing, transferring, cleaning, spraying) or during unexpected events like spills and leaks. The risks vary widely—from mild irritation to long-term disease—depending on the chemical, the dose, the route of exposure, and the worker’s susceptibility.

When people talk about chemical exposure, they often mean a single event, but exposures can also be chronic and low-level, accumulating over weeks, months, or years. Understanding how exposure occurs—and how to control it—is the foundation of effective chemical safety.

Chemical safety is not just about “what” a chemical is, but how employees can be exposed and what controls prevent harm.

Common routes of chemical exposure

Chemicals can enter the body through several routes. A robust hazard communication and control program considers all of them.

Inhalation of chemicals

Inhalation of chemicals is one of the most common and potentially serious routes, especially when working with:

  • Vapors from solvents and fuels
  • Aerosols from spraying, misting, or pressure washing
  • Dusts from powders, sanding, or grinding
  • Fumes from welding, heating, or chemical reactions

Inhaled contaminants can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs, or pass into the bloodstream. The risk increases in confined spaces, poorly ventilated rooms, or when workers are close to the source.

Skin and eye contact

Many hazardous substances can be absorbed through the skin or cause burns, dermatitis, or sensitization. Eye exposures are especially urgent because splashes can rapidly damage the cornea.

Ingestion

Ingestion may occur indirectly—such as when contaminated hands contact food, drink, or cigarettes. Poor hygiene practices and inadequate handwashing facilities can turn a handling task into an ingestion exposure.

Injection

High-pressure equipment, broken glass, and sharps contaminated with chemicals can inject substances into tissue. These injuries can be severe and require immediate medical attention.

The dangers of chemistry: acute vs. chronic health effects

The dangers of chemistry in the workplace include both immediate and delayed health outcomes.

Acute effects (short-term)

Acute effects can appear within minutes to hours, such as:

  • Headache, dizziness, nausea
  • Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
  • Skin burns, rashes, eye irritation
  • Chemical pneumonitis from inhalation of certain liquids/mists

Chronic effects (long-term)

Chronic effects may develop after repeated exposures:

  • Asthma or occupational lung disease
  • Nerve damage, liver or kidney injury
  • Reproductive harm
  • Cancer (for certain carcinogens)

Because chronic effects may not be immediately obvious, employers should treat “no symptoms” as not equal to “no risk.”

Factors affecting response to chemical exposure include

Not every worker reacts the same way to the same chemical. Factors affecting response to chemical exposure include:

  • Dose and concentration (how much is present)
  • Duration and frequency (how long and how often exposure occurs)
  • Route of exposure (inhalation, skin, ingestion, injection)
  • Chemical properties (volatility, solubility, reactivity, particle size)
  • Work conditions (temperature, ventilation, enclosed spaces)
  • Individual susceptibility (age, asthma, skin conditions, medications)
  • Mixtures and additive effects (multiple chemicals can increase overall risk)

These factors are why exposure control requires more than labeling—your program must match controls to real tasks, real conditions, and real people.

OSHA requirements that directly impact chemical exposure control

OSHA sets clear expectations for communicating hazards and protecting workers from harmful exposures.

Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)

OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires employers to:

  • Maintain a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each hazardous chemical
  • Ensure containers are properly labeled (including GHS elements where applicable)
  • Provide effective employee training on chemical hazards and protective measures
  • Keep a written HazCom program describing how requirements are met

SDSs are especially important for exposure prevention because they contain information on hazards, exposure limits (when available), PPE recommendations, first aid, spill response, and safe handling.

Exposure limits and air contaminant rules

OSHA permissible exposure limits (PELs) are referenced across standards (for example, many are listed in 29 CFR 1910.1000, Air Contaminants). If you use chemicals with inhalation risks, exposure assessment and engineering controls may be necessary to keep airborne concentrations below applicable limits.

PPE requirements (29 CFR 1910 Subpart I)

OSHA requires PPE to be selected based on hazard assessment and maintained properly. Chemical-resistant gloves, goggles/face shields, and respirators (when needed) must be appropriate to the specific chemical and task.

Respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134)

If respirators are required to control inhalation of chemicals, employers must implement a comprehensive respiratory protection program, including medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and proper cartridge selection.

Practical ways to reduce workplace chemical exposure

Preventing exposure works best when controls follow the hierarchy of controls.

Use the hierarchy of controls

  1. Elimination/Substitution: Remove the chemical or use a less hazardous alternative.
  2. Engineering controls: Local exhaust ventilation, closed transfer systems, splash guards.
  3. Administrative controls: Safer work practices, scheduling to limit time, restricted access, housekeeping.
  4. PPE: Gloves, protective clothing, eye/face protection, and respirators as required.

Improve day-to-day handling and housekeeping

  • Store chemicals by compatibility and keep lids closed to minimize vapor release.
  • Use secondary containment and spill kits where chemicals are handled.
  • Post clear procedures for mixing, transferring, and waste disposal.
  • Require handwashing before breaks and at shift end.

Train for real tasks, not just general rules

Training should cover:

  • Recognizing exposure symptoms and reporting procedures
  • How to read SDS sections relevant to the job
  • What to do during spills, splashes, or inhalation events
  • Proper PPE use and limitations

For ongoing chemical safety education, many organizations also include quick access resources like Safety Data Sheets and internal guidance documents.

How SwiftSDS helps manage SDSs and reduce exposure risk

Even strong controls can fail if SDSs are outdated, hard to find, or inconsistent across sites. SwiftSDS helps solve common SDS management challenges by providing a centralized SDS library in a secure, cloud-based platform—so employees can quickly find the correct SDS during routine work or an emergency.

With SwiftSDS, organizations can:

  • Maintain OSHA-aligned SDS access to support 29 CFR 1910.1200 requirements
  • Enable mobile access so workers can pull up an SDS at the point of use (including during spills or first aid situations)
  • Support GHS classification and labeling consistency across operations
  • Use chemical inventory management to track locations, quantities, and expiration dates—reducing the chance of forgotten, degraded, or improperly stored chemicals

When SDSs are easy to access and inventory is current, teams can make better decisions about PPE, ventilation needs, and safe handling—reducing the likelihood and severity of exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Next steps for stronger chemical safety

Reducing chemical exposure is a continuous process: identify hazards, evaluate how exposure happens during tasks, apply controls, and verify that workers can quickly access the information they need.

If employees can’t find the right SDS in seconds, the risk during an exposure incident increases.

Call to action: Ready to strengthen your HazCom program and simplify SDS access? Explore how SwiftSDS can centralize your SDS library, support OSHA compliance, and improve on-the-job chemical safety—request a demo or learn more today.