In February 2012, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to refinish a bathtub was found dead, slumped over a bathtub in an unventilated bathroom. In September 2011, a worker using a product containing methylene chloride to strip the glaze from a bathtub collapsed in the bathtub and later died. The cases described above are just two of many similar cases. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-supported Fatality Assessment and
Control Evaluation (FACE) Program have identified at least 14 worker deaths since 2000 related to bathtub refinishing with stripping agents containing methylene chloride. These types of deaths can be prevented by using alternative, less hazardous chemicals or methods that eliminate the use of methylene chloride. If this is not possible, employers can still prevent deaths and illnesses by using safe work practices, such as using adequate
ventilation, supplying workers with respiratory protection as well as protective clothing and equipment, and providing workers with training in accord with OSHA’s Methylene Chloride standard
(29 CFR 1910.1052) and other applicable standards, such as the Hazard Communication standard
(29 CFR 1910.1200) and the Personal Protective Equipment standard
(29 CFR 1910.132).