Worker Burned With 2,4-D Solution

A chemical manufacturing worker was splashed with a solution containing 51 percent 2,4-DCP. while moving a hose used to transfer the material. The solution covered 60 to 65 percent of his body surface area including his head, chest, neck, abdomen, arms, and thighs. When paramedics arrived, he was unconscious and convulsing on the shower room floor. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead approximately 90 minutes after exposure. An autopsy revealed first-degree chemical burns on exposed skin surfaces, and serious burns on his respiratory system and digestive system, as well as brain damage. The final pathologic diagnosis was “acute chlorinated phenolic exposure and 60 percent chemical burns.”

You may not work in a plant manufacturing the herbicide 2,4-D. But there are many hazardous chemicals in today’s workplace. Do you know the dangers of the chemicals you work with? Are you adequately protected by safe procedures and equipment? Do you know what to do in an emergency?