Table. Selected Characteristics of 85 Methylene Chloride–Related Fatalities Identified in the United States, 1980-2018a.
| Characteristic | No. (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational fatalities (n = 74) | Consumer fatalities (n = 11) | Fatalities with autopsy reports available (n = 23) | |
| Sex | |||
| Total No. reported | 69 | 11 | 23 |
| Male | 65 (94) | 10 (91) | 21 (91) |
| Female | 4 (6) | 1 (9) | 2 (9) |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| Total No. reported | 40 | 7 | 23 |
| White | 26 (65) | 5 (72) | 14 (61) |
| Hispanic | 8 (20) | 1 (14) | 5 (22) |
| Black | 6 (15) | 1 (14) | 4 (17) |
| Age | |||
| Total No. reported | 59 | 11 | 23 |
| Median (IQR), y | 31 (24-42) | 45 (28-52) | 37 (29-52) |
| Mean (SD), y | 34 (13) | 41 (18) | 39 (13) |
| Range, y | 18-64 | 14-80 | 20-62 |
| Year of fatality | |||
| Total No. reported | 74 | 11 | 23 |
| 1980-1989 | 32 (43) | 2 (18) | NA |
| 1990-1999 | 8 (11) | 3 (27) | NA |
| 2000-2009 | 14 (19) | 1 (9) | 8 (35) |
| 2010-2018 | 20 (27) | 5 (46) | 15 (65) |
| Product used | |||
| Total No. reported | 67 | 11 | 23 |
| Paint stripper | 52 (78) | 8 (73) | 23 (100) |
| Cleaning/degreasing solvent | 12 (18) | 1 (9) | NA |
| Adhesive/sealant | 3 (4) | 2 (18) | NA |
| Setting of incident | |||
| Total No. reported | 67 | 10 | 23 |
| Bathroom | 23 (34) | 3 (30) | 19 (82) |
| Industrial equipment | 20 (30) | NA | 2 (9) |
| Floor (nonbathroom) | 4 (6) | 1 (10) | 2 (9) |
| Carpet | 3 (4) | 1 (10) | NA |
| Furniture | 7 (11) | 1 (10) | NA |
| Bystander on siteb | 3 (4) | NA | NA |
| Accidental ingestion | NA | 1 (10) | NA |
| Otherc | 7 (11) | 3 (30) | NA |
| Respirator use | |||
| Total No. reported | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| No respirator used | 20 (56) | 2 (50) | 13 (62) |
| Respirator used but not NIOSH approved | 16 (44) | 2 (50) | 8 (38) |
Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range; NA, not applicable; NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
a
See eTable 2 in the Supplement for individual cases.
b
In 3 cases, the decedents did not use the products themselves but entered a room where vapors lingered after methylene chloride product use.
c
Other known fatality settings included working on cars, sheds, shutters, and trailers, or being at rest after product exposure.