Manufacturing workers and others endure dangerous PVC exposure

Plastics are one of the most impressive modern conveniences. Different kinds of plastics have different degrees of rigidity and stability that allow manufacturers to use them in a wide range of products, and many plastic products can function safely for years if not decades.

Unfortunately, some kinds of plastic are safer than others. Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is a kind of plastic made from vinyl chloride. This plastic can get made into a range of valuable products, but one of the most common would be pipes. Companies also use PVC to coat the outside of wires and cables and to make various kinds of packaging.

Exposure to PVC and one of the chemicals used to make it, vinyl chloride, could have health impacts, which means that workers and others exposed to PVC may have grounds to make a claim against the companies that use this potentially dangerous plastic.

What does PVC do to the human body?

Research on PVC and the long-term effect it has on workers exposed to the substance have shown that it may have a correlation with a variety of cancers as well as liver issues in people with chronic or high-level exposure.

People could wind up exposed by working with PVC or creating it in a factory setting, helping to recycle or dispose of PVC products in a landfill or waste management facility, or even through the routine handling of PVC products, especially if that person heats or cuts the products, which could produce gases or dust that the individual can inhale.

Those who routinely worked with or handled PVC products in a work environment may have a claim for compensation if they develop serious health conditions that correlate with PVC exposure.

Some workers may not realize that they have PVC exposure

People working in chemical factories or directly handling known PVC products may already be aware of their exposure risk and take steps to mitigate it. However, there are many other industries where people may not realize they could have dangerous levels of exposure to PVC.

People working at dry cleaners and secondary manufacturers, including factories that make furniture, vehicles or even carpeting, could have dangerous levels of PVC exposure, just like those who work in chemical facilities, or in waste management or recycling programs. In fact, even the people who live near facilities that manufacture, recycle or dispose of PVC products, could be at risk of dangerous levels of PVC exposure, as it can impact the local air and water.