HSE Impacts of VOCs

Introduction

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous chemicals that evaporate at room temperature, found in everything from building materials and furniture to industrial solvents and fuels. While VOCs are essential to modern life, exposure to harmful VOCs poses significant health risks ranging from acute irritation to chronic diseases including cancer, liver and kidney damage, and nervous system disorders.

This application article explores how VOCs impact human health in domestic, light industrial, and heavy industrial settings, explaining workplace exposure limits (WELs) and the difference between short-term and long-term exposure risks. Using benzene as a case study, the article demonstrates why many dangerous VOCs are undetectable by smell at harmful concentrations. It also examines VOCs’ environmental impacts, including their role in air pollution, smog formation, water contamination, and soil pollution at brownfield and landfill sites.

Essential reading for understanding why VOC monitoring is critical for protecting workers, building occupants, and the environment.