The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
As people work on a construction job site, they must be cautious to avoid many hazards, including ones involving the materials they work with. One of those materials is asphalt, which can be dangerous if mishandled. Here are the most common hazards of handling asphalt you should avoid.
Fire and Explosion Injuries
Two common hazards of working with asphalt are fires and explosions. Asphalt largely consists of crude oil, and people often store it at high temperatures. These factors put it in danger of igniting if it makes contact with electricity, sparks, open flames, or other sources. Make sure that you take caution when igniting anything in the vicinity of asphalt.
Fume Exposure
Another one of the most common hazards of handling asphalt is exposure to its fumes. Asphalt is one of the most common materials to haul in a dump truck, but when workers liquefy and spread it, it can release hazardous emissions.
For example, hot asphalt creates gases that lead to suffocation, lung irritation, and death. Inhaling the fumes can also cause people to experience headaches, fatigue, and even damage to their liver, kidney, and nervous system.
Skin Burns and Rashes
It’s also important that you protect your skin when working with asphalt. Because users store and use the material at high temperatures, it can easily result in burns when it meets your skin. It may also lead to rashes and other skin conditions.
Eye Irritation
It’s critical to protect your eyes when dealing with asphalt. Your eyes may experience irritation due to the fumes or the particulate getting into them. If you experience an incident where the material does touch your eyes, you should go to an eyewash station and flush out the contaminants immediately.
Asphalt can be very helpful in building new rooftops and roadways in the right hands but destructive when handled unwisely. Ensure that you and your staff members take all the precautions so that everyone acts wisely when handling asphalt. This way, they can go home without injuries at the end of the day.
