Benzene

Benzene, also known as benzol, is a clear, sweet-smelling, highly flammable liquid chemical used mainly in making rubber, plastics, dyes, paints, rubber, resins, detergents, lubricants, drugs, pesticides, nylon and synthetic fibers. It is a naturally occurring compound of gasoline, crude oil and cigarette smoke. It is also a known human carcinogen.  A number of studies have linked Benzene to leukemia. 

Workplace exposure to Benzene can cause such blood cancers and disorders as LEUKEMIA, HODGKINS DISEASE, MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROME (MDS), MULTIPLE MYELOMA, and APLASTIC ANEMIA

Benzene can be found in small amounts almost everywhere – in the outdoor air, in the home and in the workplace. The most common sources of everyday exposure are cigarette smoke, gas stations and vehicle exhaust. Benzene gases also emit from glues, paints, furniture wax and detergents. City dwellers are exposed to more benzene than those in rural areas. People living in areas with landfills, hazardous waste sites or leaking underground gasoline storage tanks also are at risk of having benzene-contaminated well or tap water.

The effects of benzene on the body vary with the amount and duration of exposure. Brief exposure (not more than 5-10 minutes) to low to moderate levels of benzene can cause headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, vomiting, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness. Exposure to very high levels can cause death.
Workers exposed to high levels of benzene are at the greatest risk of suffering its long-term harmful effects: acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, anemia and other forms of cancer and leukemia.

Benzene and benzene-containing solvents and chemicals have been commonly used at such job sites as: