
Occupational Chemical Exposure among Health Workers: A Social Policy Perspective
Chapter from the book:
Koçali,
K.
(ed.)
2025.
Social Policy Reviews of Occupational Health and Safety.
Synopsis
Healthcare workers are exposed to many chemical agents in order to maintain uninterrupted healthcare services. This exposure includes many chemicals such as disinfectants, sterilizers, anesthetic gases, antineoplastic drugs. In this chapter, the types of occupational chemical exposure of healthcare workers, the possible short and long-term health effects of this exposure and the systematic measures to be taken against this situation are discussed. In addition, the assessment of exposure from a social policy perspective is one of the focal points of the study. It is emphasized that exposure is not limited to individual health; it has multifaceted social consequences such as loss of workforce, social security burden and employment security. Existing legal regulations, prevention strategies and good practice examples from Turkey and the world are evaluated, and concrete recommendations for policy makers in the field of occupational health and safety are developed. In conclusion, the protection of health workers from chemical risks is not only a situation that requires technical measures, but also a multidimensional policy problem that should be addressed in the context of social justice, job security and human dignity.