Some hazardous chemical exposures are easy to identify. When workers are involved in spray-finishing operations, they obviously risk exposure to paint-related aerosols. When workers in a laboratory are pipetting chemical reagents, they obviously need to take precautions against exposure. Some exposures are far less obvious—but that doesn’t necessarily make them any less dangerous.
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Exposure to metalworking fluids can be one such hazard. Metalworking fluids are used as machinery lubricants in machining and grinding, reducing the friction between tools and work surfaces. They also carry away debris created during the machining process. But many workers, and even some employers, may fail to realize that metalworking fluids also pose multiple health hazards to workers.