Cement and cement based products can harm the skin in a number of ways.
Cement may contain hazardous substances including.
Preventing exposure to toxic chemicals is a primary concern at hazardous waste sites.
Weaker irritants including water may result in irritant contact dermatitis eczema.
Cement can also cause chemical burns to the eyes.
It might not be possible to eliminate cement and concrete but it is possible to use cement and concrete safety by controlling.
Wet cement is highly alkaline in nature.
Exposure to cement dust can irritate eyes nose throat and the upper respiratory system.
Hazardous substances come in many forms including gases vapors fumes dusts and mists and construction jobsites have more than their fair share of these substances.
First let s consider what is waste.
Whether you are mixing up a batch of concrete using cement in other ways or drilling into concrete materials you may be exposed to cement and concrete dust.
Most sites contain a variety of chemical substances in gaseous liquid or solid form.
In extreme cases these burns may need a skin graft or cause a limb to be amputated.
These substances can enter the unprotected body by inhalation skin absorption ingestion or through a puncture wound injection.
A hazardous substance can take many forms including gas powder liquid solid or dust.
A serious burn or ulcer can rapidly develop if it is trapped against the skin.
Risk of injury depends on duration and level of exposure and individual sensitivity.
By taking proper precautions to protect the skin though workers should be able to stay safe.
Concrete and cement dust health hazards.
Manufacturers and importers of hazardous substances are legally obliged to include warning labels and safety data sheets with their products.
Manufacturers publish material safety data sheets that explain the properties dangers and safe working conditions for the potentially hazardous substances they produce.
Hazardous materials in wet concrete and mortar include.
Maintenance workers with a known high.
A wide variety of irritating substances may be responsible including solvents detergents in cleaning agents mmmf epoxy resins isocyanates cement oils and greases.
I get the question on is concrete hazardous waste a lot and while the answer seems pretty clear to me for some reason it keeps coming up let s take the question of is concrete a hazardous waste or the hazardous nature of concrete one step at a time.
Cement market will continue to grow in the coming years so the number of workers exposed to cement at work will remain high.
The portland cement association forecasts the u s.
Cement may not be the most dangerous substance an employee can encounter at work but it is especially hazardous to the skin.
Skin contact may result in moderate irritation to thickening cracking of skin to severe skin damage from chemical burns.
Silica exposure can lead to lung injuries including silicosis and lung cancer.