Chemical Hazards in the Workplace: Semiconductor Manufacturing
Birth Defects, Semiconductor
The U.S. is spending billions to increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing. These tiny chips power everything from smartphones to cars, making them essential to modern life. And the jobs in this sector are steady and can command solid wages. But chipmaking jobs come with the real risk of exposure to chemical hazards that can cause serious health problems and birth defects. And as U.S. chip manufacturing expands, these risks could grow.
Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing in the United States
Supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic put a focus on the nation’s dependence on overseas chip production. To reduce overreliance, the federal government prioritized moving semiconductor manufacturing to the U.S. through direct funding and incentives for new plant construction and upgrades.
Although these new plants promise jobs and technological leadership, they also bring significant concerns for worker safety.
Examples of Chemical Hazards in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Chipmaking requires hundreds of chemicals, many of which are highly toxic, including:
- Organic solvents, such as benzene, are linked to cancer, miscarriages, birth defects, and fertility problems.
- Acid gases, such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. These gases can cause nausea, long-term damage to lungs and skin, and vision and hearing problems.
- Harmful metals, including cadmium and lead. These hazardous chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing can cause cancer, developmental issues, and neurological damage.
- PFAS, or forever chemicals. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances build up in the environment and the body, and they never break down, leading to fertility problems, cancers, and birth defects.
Justice for Chemical Hazards in the Workplace
The risks aren’t limited to women of childbearing age. Research shows that men can also transmit toxic exposure risks to their families. This underscores the need to protect all semiconductor workers from hazardous chemicals by ensuring proper protective equipment, effective ventilation, routine maintenance, and other essential workplace safety practices.
The semiconductor industry has long faced criticism for its lack of transparency and weak worker protections. According to an EPA watchdog report, U.S. regulators are often ill-equipped to keep up with complex chemical use in industries like semiconductors.
As the U.S. races to strengthen its chip supply, justice for workers must not be overlooked. Stronger safeguards, clear reporting on toxic exposures, legal protections, and enforcement of regulations already in place are essential. Without them, the same communities celebrating new jobs now could face devastating health consequences in the future.
Chemical hazard examples from past semiconductor plants show what happens when worker safety is ignored: illnesses, infertility, and environmental contamination that lasts for generations. Families should not be forced to bear these costs while corporations and governments focus solely on production speed and profit.