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Ammonia is familiar to anyone who has ever had to clean a set of windows or countertops. Under normal circumstances, ammonia is a corrosive and toxic gas with a rather pungent odor, and most people’s ammonia exposure is limited to household cleaners. Ammonia is also an incredibly versatile chemical; it is found in fertilizers, plastics, chemicals, explosives, and pesticides, and it is also used in refrigeration in food processing and manufacturing industries. Trace amounts of ammonia are also found in the atmosphere, rainwater, volcanoes, fertile soil, and seawater, although the chemical usually does not pose a threat because the quantity is so small.
Ammonia Dangers:
The greatest danger ammonia poses to people is when large amounts of the poison leaks into the population at large. Because ammonia is used in a wide variety of industrial process, it often must be transported through populated areas, where any mishap can spell disaster for anyone living nearby. Ammonia exposure usually occurs when a train, truck, or other transportation system encounters a problem and spills its deadly cargo into the surrounding area. Ammonia leaks are particularly dangerous if they occur near substances such as oxidants or chlorine, as ammonia can combine with these chemicals to produce deadly gases and compounds.
Ammonia exposure:
Ammonia exposure can cause a number of serious health problems. It will irritate and burn the eyes, throat, and nose when inhaled, and in higher concentrations it can induce severe coughing and choking fits. Prolonged exposure to ammonia in gas or liquid form can severely irritate the eyes and skin, and result in permanent scarring of the cornea and chemical burns on the skin and lungs. Using ammonia in enclosed areas is also dangerous, as is mixing the chemical with bleach, for the combination can produce extremely toxic chlorine gas.
Although ammonia exists in small quantities in the natural environment, chemical plants use sophisticated technology to extract it for industrial use. As these facilities often have huge quantities of dangerous substances like ammonia, chemical plant explosions often pose an immediate and potentially fatal danger to the surrounding community. Few people realize the daily risks of living next to one of these ticking time-bombs, and fewer still know what to do should the worst occur.
Ammonia spills:
Ammonia spills and chemical plant explosions are one of the realities of life in the modern world, but should these accidents occur it is the duty of those responsible to provide help for those they injure. If they do not, the victims of these disasters need to take legal action in order to recover compensation for their pain and suffering. If you or someone you know endured injury or loss due to an ammonia accident, you need to contact an ammonia exposure attorney right away. The statute of limitations on your case is already running, and if you hesitate you could lose your chance for justice. Don’t risk your future. Contact an ammonia exposure lawyer today.
