Methylene Chloride Linked to Worker Deaths

In the last 12 years, a chemical widely used to strip bathtubs has been linked to 13 deaths of people who worked as bathtub refinishers nationwide.

According to Health Day, a new report has shown that all of the deaths occurred in residential bathrooms where methylene chloride, was present and did not have proper ventilation. In addition to the lack of air circulation, the workers either did not use protective equipment or used equipment that was ineffective, according to the report published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

One woman and 12 men ranging in age from 23- to 57-years-old were harmed by the bathroom chemical. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously identified methylene chloride as a potential cause of death among factory workers and furniture strippers, reports Health Day.

"The extreme hazards of using products with this chemical in bathtub refinishing need to be clearly communicated to employers, workers and the general public," said study co-author Kenneth Rosenman, chief of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University. "Safer methods using alternative products should be recommended."

If you or a loved one has been harmed by chemical exposure, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to learn about your options.

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