Hazardous substances may enter your body in three ways ingestion,inhalation and absorption through the skin.

• Toxins can be ingested by eating or drinking hazardous substances or contaminated food and water. Ingestion is a major cause of poisoning in children 6 and under. Keep the hazardous products out of the reach of children and in a locked area.
• Toxins can be inhaled. Gases, vapors, and sprays pass directly through the lungs and enter the blood. That is why good ventilation is essential. When you are working inside, use a fan to direct air away from the work area to open windows. Air conditioners do not provide sufficient ventilation since they recirculate air, even when set on "vent." Thus they do not remove contaminants. If you can smell a toxic chemical, your ventilation is not sufficient (although some harmful chemicals have no odor). Use a mask or respirator to protect yourself.
• Toxins can be absorbed through the skin. Hazardous products containing irritants or corrosives will injure the skin and then are absorbed. Some hazardous chemical can be absorbed without causing any damage to the skin. Wear gloves and/or protective clothing. Your eyes also are vulnerable to injury. Many hazardous products can cause eye damage if splashed into the eye. Oven cleaners, drain cleaners, and paint thinners are just three examples.

A chemical injury (according to Chemical Injury Network) can range from the extremely obvious, such as factory worker overcome by fumes from an industrial-strength chemical spill, to the virtually unnoticed constant exposure to the supposedly safe chemicals found in a household product. From both of these extremes, to every point in between, chemical injury can result in a debilitating condition of chronic chemical sensitivity or other chemical environmental illness.

References and Additional Resource

1. Chemical Injury
2. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Organization