Other Trades

There are a number of work settings where people may risk exposure to benzene and other toxic solvents and chemicals on the job. Here are some additional examples:

  • In shoe manufacturing, benzene can be used to cement rubber soles to shoes. Some of the earliest reports of blood poisoning resulting from benzene exposure were studies of workers in shoe manufacturing facilities.
  • In foundries, workers can be exposed to benzene containing products by using solvents to clean machines. Benzene is also a common component in the paint sprayed on molded parts in the finishing process. Maintenance workers, painters, laborers, and line workers are some examples of trades that risk exposure to benzene.
  • In the railroad industry, brakemen who “spot” tank cars in petroleum refining and petrochemical facilities risk exposure to benzene.