WASHINGTON , DC -- In an effort to prevent some respiratory diseases, the National Institute for Occupational and Safety and Health (NIOSH) is requesting assistance from workers, employers, small business owners and others that have interaction or exposure to spray-on truck bed lining procedures. Some spray-on bed liners contain methylenebis (phenyl isocyanate), known as MDI, which can cause respiratory disease such as asthma, and in some cases, death.

NIOSH reports that more than 10,000 workers are likely exposed to MDI during procedures that involve spray-on truck bed lining. The spray-on truck bed lining involves spraying on a protective polyurethane coating to the bed of the truck. Polyurethane contains the isocyanates found in MDI. Throughout the United States, an estimated 250,000 or more workers employed in transportation industries are exposed to polyurethane. Isocyanates are the leading "attributable chemical cause of occupational asthma in the United States," according to the NIOSH alert. Most exposure to MDI comes from inhalation of vapors.

To view the NIOSH alert and specific recommendations, visit ASA’s Legislative website, http://www.TakingTheHill.com.