Disinfecting May Thwart Virus but Raise Chemical Risks at Work

Employers will need to create or revise training programs and guides to take into account the use of harsher cleaning chemicals to destroy the coronavirus as businesses reopen, workplace safety consultants and attorneys warn.

“In certain industries where hazard communications hasn’t been a concern, it might fall between the cracks,” attorney Mini Kapoor, an associate with Haynes & Boone L.L.P. in Houston, said about complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s chemical rules.

The use of chemical agents is sure to increase if businesses follow protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and industry groups on preventing ...