How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 34 severe cases involving aromatic chemicals over the last decade. These incidents frequently result in effects of poison or toxic exposure, which account for 34% of all reported injuries in this category.
Exposure to these substances often leads to severe chemical burns, which also represent 34% of the reported injury types.
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Check My BenefitsHow these injuries happen
Injuries involving aromatic chemicals typically occur through direct contact with exposed tissue, which accounts for 47% of all reported incidents. You are often harmed when residual liquids drip from equipment, when hoses fail during transfer, or when vapors ignite during mixing processes.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exposure to harmful substance through exposed tissue | 16 |
| 2 | Flash fire | 5 |
| 3 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 4 |
| 4 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 3 |
| 5 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 2 |
| 6 | Contact with hot objects or substances | 2 |
| 7 | Ingestion of harmful substance | 1 |
| 8 | Explosion of nonpressurized vapors, gases, or liquids | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 50% of all severe aromatic chemical injuries, as these facilities frequently handle large volumes of solvents and reagents.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports include chemical splashes during hose disconnections, residual liquid dripping from vertical tanks, and flash fires caused by vapor ignition during routine mixing. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if your employer failed to provide adequate protection.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was lifting a level controller that had been on a vertical tank. Residual phenol-containing liquid dripped onto his right thigh, causing a chemical burn. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | TX | Administrative Services | "An employee was pressure washing a vacuum box when she began feeling ill, nauseous, and developed a headache, elevated heart rate, and chills. The employee was hospitalized due to possible benzene exposure. The employee was wearing PPE at the time." | |
| 2024 | DE | Manufacturing | "An employee connected a hose from a chemical tank car containing about 34,000 pounds of aniline to a dripless connection, then actuated the pumping system to transfer the aniline (Aminobenzene) into an onsite holding vessel. The employee was splashed with aniline while disconnecting the transfer hose after the tank car was fully emptied. The employee's right thigh was contaminated with aniline; the employee was treated for aniline poisoning and hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was attempting to adjust the specific gravity of a treatment. The employee put chemicals into a bucket to add to the tank. The employee mixed the chemicals using a battery powered cordless drill with a mixing attachment. A spark from the motor ignited toluene vapors causing a flash explosion. The employee suffered first- and second-degree burns to the head, neck, and arms." | |
| 2023 | FL | Health Care | "An employee was smelling essential oil diffusers when they began experiencing respiratory issues, requiring hospitalization." | |
| 2022 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was disconnecting a hose from an ISO container when a stream of waste chemicals, which included aniline, flowed out from the ISO container and struck the employee. The employee was hospitalized with aniline poisoning." | |
| 2022 | PA | Manufacturing | "An employee was loading xylene and fumed silica powder into a vessel when the vapor ignited, causing a flashback fire. The employee was burned on his face and both hands. He was hospitalized." | |
| 2022 | IL | Health Care | "On May 5, 2022, an employee was exposed to cyclohexylamine while investigating excess steam from the boiler room and maintenance tunnel. The employee suffered vomiting, high blood pressure and vertigo due to the exposure to cyclohexylamine and was hospitalized." | |
| 2022 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was clearing out a line when 4-tert-butylphenol (TBP) spilled onto the employee. He sustained chemical burns the head, face, eyes, and also suffered respiratory distress." | |
| 2022 | LA | Manufacturing | "An employee was blending a batch of chemicals, including toluene, in a 6,000-gallon vessel. He was exposed to the chemicals and suffered burns to the hands and face." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.