Many people do not think about everything that goes into the foods that they eat. In many situations, the way a food tastes is the result of chemical flavorings added while it is being manufactured. While the chemicals added may be deemed safe for consumption by humans, they could pose a risk to employees who are exposed to them for hours on end day in and day out. The exposure could cause workers to become ill. A good example of this is the lung problems workers making microwave popcorn suffered as a result of exposure to diacetyl.
Since then, employers have taken steps to limit the exposure to chemicals such as diacetyl, employees experience while working. These limitations include piping ingredients into the bottom of the bowl rather than placing them on top, covering the containers holding the chemicals when they are added and installing and using certain types of ventilation systems.
Limiting the exposure can be difficult at times as in many situations regulatory agencies have not yet evaluated the chemicals to determine just how much exposure presents a risk to humans.
If workers become ill as a result of the exposure to chemicals at work they may not be able to do their job for a period of time. In these situations, as is the case when a worker is injured in a workplace accident, the ill employee may seek workers' compensation benefits. In situations when those requests are initially denied, a lawyer may be able to help get those benefits approved. If you have questions about workers' compensation laws, please call the Allegheny County workers' compensation lawyers at Dugan & Associates today at 412-922-0800.
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