Chemical poisoning occurs when the body is exposed to harmful chemicals. Without protection, these chemicals can be inhaled, ingested, swallowed or absorbed into the body, leading to serious side-effects and, in some cases, can cause fatal damage.

In some jobs, workers are asked to handle dangerous chemicals and if they haven’t been provided with the correct protective clothing and equipment by their employer, this may lead to harmful levels of exposure, which can, in turn, lead to chemical poisoning. If affected, workers may experience symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and abdominal pain. Victims often experience a severe decline in their quality of life, leaving them unable to work or participate in other day-to-day activities.

All kinds of chemicals present a risk to human health, but the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identifies the following as substances that are known to contribute to serious illnesses:

• Arsenic
• Asbestos
• Benzene
• Certain types of dyes
• Fertilisers and pesticides
• Solvents
• Beryllium
• Benzidine
• Carbon Monoxide

If you have developed an illness due to exposure to harmful chemicals in the workplace, after seeking medical advice, you should contact JMW as a matter of urgency to start a claim for compensation.

Chemical poisoning can either be a one-off, when a worker is exposed to a single high dose of chemicals and falls ill, or long-term, where a member of staff comes into contact with chemicals over a period of time and they develop symptoms, including breathing difficulties, skin irritation, abdominal pain and vomiting. In more serious cases, symptoms become more diverse.

Chemical poisoning victims can expect to find themselves in severe pain. Other indicators of serious chemical poisoning include muscle tremors, convulsions, a rapid pulse and, even, drooling. Sufferers may even exhibit behavioural changes, depending on the severity of the poisoning.

In particularly bad cases, victims can fall into a coma and can develop cancer. In the worst cases, chemical poisoning can prove fatal to victims.

For more information on the toxic hazards of chemicals, take a look at this government guide. 

Due to frequent exposure to harmful chemicals, those in certain occupations are more likely to develop chemical poisoning than others. Workers are more likely to experience chemical poisoning if an employer has failed to provide adequate protective clothing or has provided insufficient training on how to handle such substances.

Those who work in the following industries are particularly at risk of developing complications due to exposure to poisonous chemicals:

• Paint production
• Plastic industry
• Metal industry
• Oil and gas sector
• Cleaning industry
• Farming industry
• Aerospace industry
• Rubber production
• Textile industry

For more information on how your industry puts you at risk to chemical poisoning, take a look at the HSE's Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) information.