Feeling ill when working with adhesives

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In our management meeting yesterday we received a report from production that an employee went home feeling sick the other day after working with adhesives, and that another employee has been complaining of headaches when he works with the same adhesives. He doesn't want to work with these adhesives anymore.

We reviewed with engineering first thing this morning and they have made some recommendations for ventilation(fume extractors and fans) which we plan to act on ASAP. We're a small company and don't have anyone assigned to health and safety or have anyone trained on OSHA or related topics. We are ISO 9001 certified so keep MSDS records for all chemicals. We plan to assign someone the responsibility of health and safety and send them to a local OSHA training workshop in the coming weeks. Are there any other actions we should be taking?

 

[Randy]

1 - Did you make a record on your OSHA 300 Log?
2 - You need to document and investigate, include in the investigation your review of applicable SDS's especially for skin and inhalation exposure controls and do what it says (PPE/Ventilation).
3 - Make sure the materials involved are being used as recommended by the OEM (sometimes more isn't better it's just more)
4 - If you don't now, you immediately need to have a documented Hazcom Program in line with OSHA regulation 29CFR 1910.1200....NOW!
5 - Document that you have communicated with your employees the proper use of the materials involved and the hazards related to them (part of the Hazcom requirements)

This is a start...

 

[Henria]

Hello !

Embedded, before these two incidents there was no problem ... So:
- Are these two incidents occurring at the same workstation?
- What has changed in this workstation(s)? (new adhesives, new working process, new operator, extraction failure ...)
You must seek to understand the root causes of these two exposures to hazardous substances.

Cordially.