WASHINGTON (Aug. 30, 2006) — A chemical used in spray-on bed liners for pickup trucks may cause serious, potentially deadly respiratory diseases in workers exposed to them, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has warned.
The chemical, MDI, is being used increasingly in the pickup truck aftermarket industry, and more than 10,000 workers perform spray-on truck bed work, NIOSH said. But exposure to MDI can cause asthma and lung injury, and has been linked to cancer in laboratory rats.
NIOSH recommends respirators, protective clothing and employee training to deal with MDI exposure during the application of spray-on liners.
The agency's 42-page alert can be downloaded for free from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/whatsnews.html.