What is Toxicology?

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WHAT IS TOXICOLOGY?
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Toxicology is a field of science that helps us
understand the harmful effects that chemicals,
substances, or situations, can have on people,
animals, and the environment. Some refer to
toxicology as the Science of Safety because as
a field it has evolved from a science focused
on studying poisons and adverse effects of
chemical exposures, to a science devoted to
studying safety. (n.d.)
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES IN THE WORKPLACE
Toxicology is intrinsically related to
occupational diseases. Many workers develop
occupational diseases due to long-term exposure
to chemicals, radioactive materials, and other
harmful substances. As such, todays workers are
better safeguarded from toxic substances in the
workplace. However, progress has also brought
about new occupational diseases and hazards, and
exposed workers to new types of toxic gases,
chemicals, and other substances that have been
discovered or man-made over the years. These
newly emerging toxins continue to plague workers
causing new health risks and health effects even
as state-of-the-art techniques are used to
analyze the effect of these chemicals on human
health.
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TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Respiratory diseases
Contact dermatitis
Musculoskeletal disorders
Mental disorders
Cardiovascular diseases
Occupational cancers
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The length or period of exposure to the chemical
toxin
The dose (i.e. amount) of substance exposure
KEY CONSIDERATIONS OF TOXICOLOGY
Pre-existing medical conditions The metabolism
of the individual
Gender, age, weight, etc.
When employers embark on workplace
risk-assessment to identify possible toxin
contamination in work areas, exposure of workers
to toxic substances and develop methodologies
to safeguard workers from adverse impacts from
pollutants, the following factors must be
considered.
An individuals habits (smoking, medication use,
alcohol consumption nutritional intake, etc.)
Allergies and drug reactions
The method of exposure inhalation, ingestion,
injection, and absorption and
Type of exposure direct or indirect exposure,
acute exposure, chronic exposure, or accidental
exposure.
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OSHA AND TOXICOLOGY
Accordingly, OSHA has developed Occupational
Exposure Limits (OELs) for different air-borne
toxins related to a range of occupations,
industries, chemicals, and toxic substances.
While stipulating Permissible Exposure Limits
(PELs) which are based on 8-hour time- weighted
averages (TWA), OSHA also specifies Ceiling and
Peak limits which must be compulsorily adhered
to by employers. While many of the details are
available in the applicable sections of the
General Industry, Construction, Shipyard
Employment, Marine Terminals, and Longshoring
regulatory standards, the most up-to-date
information is available as an Annotated Table.
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HOW CAN WORKERS LEARN ABOUT TOXICOLOGY IN THE
WORKPLACE?
OSHAs requirement to train workers before they
start work at construction sites and other
worksites exposed to hazardous substances
ensures that employees will receive relevant
training on toxicology. The subject of
toxicology is covered in several of our training
courses such as the HAZWOPER 40 Hour, the
HAZWOPER 24 Hour, and the HAZWOPER 8 Hour
Refresher. Aspects of toxicology related to
different hazardous substances such as asbestos
and hydrogen sulfide are included in
subject-specific training courses developed by
us.
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woper-osha.com/ CALL US 1-866-429-6742