Not Safe at Home or Work: Daily Chemical Exposures

Many products that provide us with the everyday amenities we enjoy contain dangerous substances. Some chemicals can cause grave illnesses and even fatalities for people exposed to slight levels over a long period, or high levels over a short period. Dangerous substances can be found in chemicals you are exposed to at work and pollutants in your home.

Unsafe items used in your home

You consider your home your sanctuary, and it may be shocking to learn that some commonplace items may actually make being in your home more dangerous than being outside:

• Carpeting in your living quarters may have toxic mold.
• If your home was built before 1978, old paint is likely lead-based. Like other dangerous substances, lead slowly releases poisonous particles in greater levels over time.
• The produce you eat may contain dangerous pesticides, and supplies you use to tend to your garden may contain unsafe ingredients.

Health dangers at your job

Chemical exposures in industrial and office settings can have devastating health effects, and lawsuits for victims’ damages have become more prevalent in recent years. For example:

• Workers who labor at shipyards, chemical plants and construction sites have a heightened risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals and fibers, including asbestos and benzene.
• Office buildings have high levels of PFCs (perfluorocarbons), which are major environmental pollutants. PFCs are found in furniture, fabric coatings and electronic equipment, and exposure by inhalation or direct contact can damage immune systems, reproductive functions and cause certain cancers.

Chemical exposure lawsuits are very challenging and, in many cases, such as those involving products you choose to purchase, recovery is often not possible. However, for chemicals in home-building materials and workplace exposures, you may have a good chance of obtaining compensation for your illness.