3040 – 06 – Avoiding Inhalation and Ingestion

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Employees can have bad reactions through contact with MWFs through inhalation, eye contact, ingestion or skin contact. The largest forms of contact are though skin and inhalation.

Inhalation happens when a worker comes into contact with an MWF mist or aerosol and breathes it in. If the employee is near the source and the job has high speed and physically fast forming processes, or shot out with high energy and great pressures then it could be a very serious infection. How much you are exposed is based on how long and much exposure you are subjected to. If the MWF is contaminated or misapplied or if the equipment is working wrong, or working beyond its capacity, or not maintained correctly then you will likely be exposed. If there is poor ventilation in the facility, then exposure is greater.

Ingestion typically happens two ways. If employees eat near a workplace close to MWF use, they can ingest an MWF, or if an employee eats without washing their hands after being exposed to MWF. If they are ingested they will settle in the mucous found in the upper regions of the respiratory system.