Painting injuries may include physical falls and construction-related trauma, or acute toxic exposure from paint fumes and other chemicals. Common injuries can include lung conditions, eye injury, and various bodily harm due to slip and fall accidents.
Painters experience accidents in a variety of workplaces and situations, in large-scale building and remodeling operations and small painting jobs. Workplace safety experts urge employers and painters to protect their well-being with basic precautions including well-ventilated work areas and utilizing personal protective gear.
Repeated exposure to paint fumes over long periods can have harmful health effects. The inhalation of paint fumes can lead to blood deficiency and kidney, brain and liver damage. Whether workers are painting the interior of a house or removing older paints, workers risk the silent dangers of toxic chemicals from paint strippers, solvents or paint dust.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Catastrophic Injury lawyer and employer negligence attorney. Mr. Lyon has represented plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of workplace injury and toxic exposure claims.
Painting Injuries & Accidents
Prevention of Painting Injuries
Preventing hazardous exposure to paint fumes is pretty straightforward, yet some employers take safety measures lightly and endanger workers. Any painting operation requires proper ventilation.
Any worker who begins to experience symptoms of toxic exposure should leave the immediate work area and seek medical attention. Inhaling paint fumes for an extended period can lead to a headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and confusion.
If you get paint or a chemical in the eyes, you should immediately wash it out with water and immediately visit a medical professional. Eye protection and a mask is recommended for many painting jobs.
Painters Risk Workplace Toxic Exposure
Paint stripping with solvents can be extremely hazardous, with pollutants up to a thousand times more toxic than outdoor levels. Lead poisoning can be an issue with older paints and painters should protect themselves against exposure. Paints, paint thinners or strippers release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which may include:
High exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) for long periods of time, as with professional painters, has lead to serious damage to the liver, kidneys and nervous system. Workers are encouraged to follow safety regulations set forth by the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration limiting toxic paint exposure.
Toxic effects and painting injuries in Ohio may include cardiac and kidney injury, lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and others cancers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies painting as a “carcinogenic occupation.”
Lung disease and respiratory diseases are long-term risks for painters. Continual exposure to hazardous materials may lead to asthma, bronchitis or emphysema. Also, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that hundreds of workers suffer eye injuries and many are blinded every year from paint and other chemicals at the workplace.
