of the workforce it is important to evaluate solvent hazards and reliably assess workers exposure.Evaluation of personal exposure is an important step in evaluating the risks to health, enabling occupational hygienists to target measures which best control exposures. Exposure level is a result of interactions between the individual, workplace, and environmental factors. Assessment of exposure is further complicated by the fact that chemicals can be taken up into the body by both inhalation and dermal contact.Exposure routesDetermining solvent toxicity is difficult to work out. The solvent type, routes of exposure and the temporal nature of exposure (i.e. Duration/concentration) all have an impact on the risk. Occupational exposures may involve solvent combinations or mixtures which may act additively or synergistically target organs, which further compound problems in evaluating the potential health effects..Health effects:Acute health effects, generally reversible short-term effects as well as chronic, often irreversible. High solvent exposure can lead to acute irritation of the skin eyes nose and throat, and depending on the concentration a number of central nervous system symptoms. Headaches dizziness and light headedness at low levels give way to intoxication, unconciousness and depressed respiration at higher levels. These effects are clearly important directly and indirectly since impaired judgement may cause accidents. The chronic effects of long term exposure are less well understood Cancer neurological impairments linked to song term solvent exposure.Behavioural changes have been shown in solvent exposed workers with some studies indicating increased levels of aggression and anxiety.Neurological impairment By Dr Spugeon Sept is an excellent review of neurological effects. Learning impairment, memory, tremoer, pootr lvel of coordination, reduced sensation to touch e.t.c. …Stress M*anagement nReporting of injuries diseases...
