Exposure to Hazardous Chemical Substances—A Major Campus Environmental Health & Safety Concern

Abstract

A broad spectrum of potentially hazardous chemicals offers serious exposure risks to members of a college or university community. Among others, these include: organophosphates in greenhouses, carbon monoxide in ice skating rinks, silica in art departments, mercury in laboratories and dental operatories, carcinogens in chemistry laboratories, asbestos fibers in classroom ceilings and pipe insulation, and toluene in scintillation fluid. A formal program directed at the recognition, evaluation, and control of hazardous chemical substances is needed to minimize exposure to these substances and maintain a prevention-oriented protective program.

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Health Services' Division of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has been involved in the development and implementation of such a program with particular emphasis on environmental monitoring and coordination with other campus agencies with regard to medical monitoring, use of personal protective equipment, engineering controls, and educating employees of hazards. A variety of alleged health hazards have faced UMass recently, including one that resulted in the closure of a 17-story Graduate Research Center (GRC) for nine days when elevated toluene levels were reported in the blood and/or urine of employees working in the facility. There is a growing awareness of hazardous chemical substances in the environment. More needs to be learned about these exposures and mechanisms for reducing the potential risk.