Methanol (CH3OH)

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

Emergency Overview POISON! DANGER! Vapor harmful. May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed. Harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Flammable liquid and vapor. Causes irritation to skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Affects central nervous system and liver. Target Organs: Kidneys, heart, central nervous system, liver, eyes.

Potential health effects

Inhalation: An irritant to the mucous membranes. Toxic effects exerted upon nervous system, particularly the optic nerve. Once absorbed into the body, it is very slowly eliminated. Symptoms of over-exposure may include headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, blindness, coma, and death. A person may get better but then worse up to 30 hours later. Ingestion: Toxic. Symptoms similar to those for inhalation, but severity and speed of appearance may be greater. May be fatal or cause blindness. Usual fatal dose: 100 – 125 ml. May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. May cause central nervous system depression, characterized by excitement, followed by headache, dizziness, drowsiness and nausea. Advanced stages may cause collapse, unconsciousness, coma and possible death due to respiratory failure. Skin Contact: Methyl Alcohol is a defatting agent and may cause skin to become dry and cracked. Skin absorption can occur in harmful amounts; symptoms may parallel inhalation exposure. Eye Contact: Irritant, characterized by a burning sensation, redness, tearing, inflammation, possible corneal injury, painful sensitization to light. Continued exposure may cause lesions. Chronic Exposure: Marked impairment of vision has been reported. Repeated or prolonged skin contact may cause dermatitis. Chronic exposure may cause reproductive disorders and

Teratogenic Effects

Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems or impaired liver or kidney function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance. Other Highly flammable. May build up Electrostatic charges: risk of ignition. Vapor-Air mixture is flammable / explosive within the explosion limits. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 704 Hazard Identification Rating Health: 1 Rating System Reactivity: 0 0 = No Hazard Flammability: 3 1 = Slight Hazard Special Hazards: None 2 = Moderate Hazard 3 = Serious Hazard 4 = Severe Hazard