Do workers run risks when handling xylenes?
According to our current state of knowledge, today’s very stringent “occupational exposure” limits, controls and working practices provide excellent protection against any risks associated to potential exposure to xylenes. Besides painters and paint industry workers, others who may be exposed to xylenes include biomedical laboratory workers, distillers of xylenes, wood processing plant workers, automobile garage workers, metal workers and furniture refinishers. In these cases, xylenes are present in the air of workplace as vapour and respiration is the major route of absorption. Less frequently xylenes enter the body through the skin following direct contact. European regulations recommend an exposure limit in the air of 100 ppm.
