Industrial poisons
These are mainly due to various chemical substances from industry, which get into public water supply. Usually they contain solvents, detergents, heavy metals, dyes, pigments, sulphides, organic substances etc.
These chemicals may affect directly, by contact, to produce severe skin diseases, allergies or eczemoid reaction or chemical burns. Some toxins produce acute effects while others produce chronic effects. Sometimes, the chemicals are ingested by workers if they do not wash their hands before taking food various toxic chemicals, and their effects on health. One may come in contact with them through other means besides water.
Consequences of a negative impact of poisons on the human body depend on many factors: gender, age and individual sensitivity of the body, the chemical structure and physical properties of the poison. Its concentration in the air, the amount of substance taken into the body, the duration and continuity of its revenue, as well as a number of related factors of production environment, such as temperature and humidity, noise, vibration.
Industrial poisons enter the human body in two main ways: through the respiratory system and skin. Through airways fall poisons which are in air, preferably as a vapor, gas and dust. Through skin penetrate oily liquid substances which highly soluble in lipids (fats and fat-like substances). Delivery of poisons through the gastrointestinal tract with contaminated hands when eating is also possible. Measures for the prevention of occupational diseases and poisoning should be directed primarily at the maximum removal of harmful substances from production by replacing them with non-toxic, or at least less toxic products. It is also necessary to eliminate or minimize toxic impurities in chemicals, which in the approved standards for these products it is advisable to indicate the scope of possible impurities, that is, to spend their hygienic standardization. In conclusion, general measures of prevention of occupational poisonings and diseases are as follows:
1. Elimination of harmful and toxic substances from the particular production. As an example, the replacement of lead- zinc pigments in paints, removing manganese from an electrode production, etc.
2. Mechanization and automation of production processes, rationalization of technology, sealing equipment.
3. Standardization feedstock to remove toxic impurities such as arsenic acids intended for etching.
4. Select the least toxic substances in cases where the terms of technology such substitutions are allowed. For example, the replacement of benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons in the preparation of paints, use low-toxic carbonate rutile electrodes instead of highly acidic ore, etc.