No. 170

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW: DANGER! HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED HARMFUL IF INHALED CAUSES RESPIRATORY TRACT, EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANS: BLOOD, KIDNEYS, LIVER, GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, RESPIRATORY TRACT, SKIN, NERVOUS SYSTEM, EYE, LENSE OR CORNEA FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR VAPOR MAY CAUSE FLASH FIRE MAY BE HARMFUL IF ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN POSSIBLE CANCER HAZARD CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH CAN CAUSE CANCER

Principle Routes of Exposure

EYE CONTACT, SKIN CONTACT, INHALATION, INGESTION

Health hazards

ACUTE AND CHRONIC EXPOSURES) EYES: ACUTE – LIQUID, AEROSOLS OR VAPORS ARE SEVERELY IRRITATING AND CAN CAUSE PAIN, TEARING, REDDENING AND SWELLING. IF LEFT UNTREATED, CORNEAL DAMAGE CAN OCCUR AND INJURY IS SLOW TO HEAL. HOWEVER, DAMAGE IS USUALLY REVERSIBLE CHRONIC – PROLONGED VAPOR CONTACT MAY CAUSE CONJUNCTIVITIS SKIN CONTACT: ACUTE – REPEATED OR PROLONGED SKIN CONTACT CAN RESULT IN DRY, DEFATTED AND CRACKED SKIN CAUSING INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INFECTION. IN ADDITION IRRITATION MAY DEVELOP INTO DERMATITUS. SOLVENTS CAN PENETRATE THE SKIN AND MAY CAUSE EFFECTS SIMILAR TO THOSE IDENTIFIED UNDER ACUTE INHALATION SYMPTOMS. CHRONIC – MAY CAUSE EFFECTS SIMILAR TO THOSE IDENTIFIED UNDER CHRONIC INHALATION EFFECTS. SKIN ABSORPTION: ACUTE – ND CHRONIC – ND (CON’T) INHALATION: ACUTE – SOLVENT VAPORS ARE IRRITATING TO THE EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT. SYMPTOMS OF IRRITATION MAY INCLUDE RED, ITCHY EYES, DRYNESS OF THE THROAT AND A FEELING OF TIGHTNESS IN THE CHEST. OTHER POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF OVEREXPOSURE INCLUDE: HEADACHE, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, NARCOSIS FATIGUE AND LOSS OF APPETITE. PERSONS EXPOSED TO 200 PPM OF XYLENE EXPERIENCED EYE, NOSE AND THROAT IRRITATION. CONCENTRATIONS OF 10,000 PPM OF XYLENE CAN BE IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE AND HEALTH CHRONIC – CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ORGANIC SOLVENTS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS NEUROTOXIC EFFECTS INCLUDING PERMANENT BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM DAMAGE. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE LOSS OF MEMORY, LOSS OF INTELLECTUAL ABILITY AND LOSS OF COORDINATION. TOLUENE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE EMBRYOFETOTOXIC AND TERATOGENIC IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. PROLONGED OR REPEATED OVEREXPOSURE TO TOLUENE CAN CAUSE IRRITATION TO THE RESPIRATORY TRACT, ENLARGED LIVER, KIDNEY EFFECTS AND CARDIAC SENSITIZATION. INGESTION: ACUTE – CAN RESULT IN IRRITATION OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT. SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE SORE THROAT ABDOMINAL PAIN NAUSEA, VOMITING AND DIARRHEA. VOMITING MAY CAUSE ASPIRATION OF SOLVENT RESULTING IN CHEMICAL PNEUMONITIS CHRONIC – ND CONDITIONS AGGRAVATED BY EXPOSURE: SKIN DISORDERS AND ALLERGIES.