Fatalities and Incidents:OSHA has identified several fatalities and incidents due to severe asthmatic attacks and fire/explosions associated with the use of isocyanate-containing materials. A 41-year old Springfield, Massachusetts worker was killed when the spray foam chemicals he was spraying in a home attic caught fire. A worker for a Vermont insulation company ran a hose from two 50-gallon drums of chemicals outside the house into the attic where he was applying the insulator. It is believed that the vapors of the spray chemicals then ignited and engulfed the attic. After smelling smoke, two coworkers rushed upstairs to remove the worker, but couldn’t because the flames and smoke were too intense. Firefighters were unable to reach the man by placing a ladder on the porch roof. After breaking into the side window to the attic, firefighters pulled the man’s unconscious body out of the house and performed CPR. The efforts were unsuccessful. The worker was pronounced dead at Springfield hospital that night (Cape Cod Times, May 2008). A maintenance worker repairing a foaming system at a polyurethane foam manufacturing plant developed respiratory symptoms associated with isocyanate exposure. Detectable MDI concentrations were discovered in the workplace. There was no effective ventilation and dermal protection while investigations revealed aerosols and vapors near the faces of the workers. The worker quit his job after being diagnosed with isocyanate-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Years after leaving the plant, he continued to experience symptoms including cough, weakness, sweats, muscle aches, shortness of breath and loss of lung function. The illness worsened over time, and eventually led to his death (NIOSH 1996). A 45-year-old worker had a fatal asthma attack after spraying an MDI-based bed liner onto a vehicle interior. The worker was wearing a half mask, supplied-air respirator, latex gloves and coveralls. The room had two curtains pulled together to contain the spray, a fan at the door to provide air circulation and no local exhaust ventilation. After disconnecting the respirator and leaving the room, the worker began developing acute respiratory symptoms. He was taken to the hospital where he then went into cardiac arrest. The county medical examiner stated that the worker had died of an “acute asthmatic reaction due to inhalation of chemicals.” The health and work history of the patient suggests that MDI sensitization played a significant part in the fatality (NIOSH, 2006). Public school officials at a large metropolitan school district became suspicious after several staff members developed asthma symptoms. NIOSH investigators were called in to inspect the school and discovered several recent isocyanate foam and coating material applications. The staff reported odors from the materials when they were being applied. Air sampling tests indicated release of isocyanates and potential for exposure (NIOSH, 2006). See more from topic source: https://www.osha.gov/html/a-z-index.html