This is more than eight times the number of people who die from job-related accidents. Many of these illnesses are caused by chemicals and other agents present in the workplace. Factories and scientific laboratories can contain poisonous chemicals, dyes and metals. Doctors and other health workers have to work with radiation. People who work in airports or play in rock concerts can suffer hearing loss from loud noise.
Some jobs involve extreme heat or cold.
Workers can protect themselves from hazards by wearing special suits and using goggles, gloves, ear plugs, and other equipment. About 3.5 million Americans have kidney diseases. These range from simple infections to total kidney failure. People with kidney failure cannot remove wastes and poisons from their blood. They depend on expensive kidney machines in order to stay alive.