Toluene diisocyanate exposure in a glove manufacturing plant

An accidental exposure due to reuse of containers of toluene diisocyanate to transport nontoxic substances and subsequent occupational toxic exposure caused illness among forty workers in a glove manufacturing plant. Examination and investigation of the patients and factory site inspection were carried out. Toluene diisocyanate-contaminated latex was examined by the infrared spectroscopy. Thirty-two of forty patients had muscle pain and seven had elevated creatine phosphokinase activity. These features have not been reported previously as components of toluene diisocyanate toxicity and their underlying causation remains speculative.