How Hazardous Material is Harmful to People

There arc four pathways for substances to enter the body —Absorption through contact with the skin and eyes —Inhalation —Ingestion —Injection/puncture 

Inhalation is the most rapid route, immediately introducing toxic chemicals to respiratory tissues and the bloodstream. Once admitted to the blood through the lungs, these chemicals are quickly transported throughout the body to contact all organs. In many cases, chemicals accumulate in a target organ. 

Ingestible materials get into the mouth through hand-to-mouth contact, and through coughing when inhaled particulate material is removed from the lungs to the throat and then swallowed. Since there are acids, alkalies and enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, the toxic nature of a compound may be enhanced or diminished. 

Injection—The injection of hazardous materials into the body sounds, at first, like a bad joke. Who in his right mind would inject themselves—exp ecially when it is not required by a doctor However, it can occur by stepping on or bumping against a sheup object while working at an incident site. It will happen before you even realize it has occurred and the reality of possible being internally contaminated sinks in. The best precaution for this eventuality is to have on protective clothing and observe safe work habits. 

Important factors to consider when determining the toxicity of a material are the relationships between concentration, exposure time, and the threshold sensitivity of the person exposed. 

---