4-Methyl-3-thiosemicarbazide

SECTION 2: Hazards identification

CHEMWATCH HAZARD RATINGS Min Max Flammability: 1 Toxicity: 4 Body Contact: 0 Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Reactivity: 1 Moderate=2 High=3 Chronic: 2 Extreme=4 CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS EMERGENCY OVERVIEW RISK Very toxic if swallowed. Inhalation may produce serious health damage*. Cumulative effects may result following exposure*. Possible respiratory sensitiser*. * (limited evidence).

Potential Acute Health Effects

SWALLOWED ■ Severely toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 5 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. EYE ■ Although the material is not thought to be an irritant (as classified by EC Directives), direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterised by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. The material may produce foreign body irritation in certain individuals. SKIN ■ Skin contact is not thought to produce harmful health effects (as classified under EC Directives using animal models). Systemic harm, however, has been identified following exposure of animals by at least one other route and the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions. Good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting. ■ Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material. ■ Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected. INHALED ■ The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified by EC Directives using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of dusts, or fumes, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress. ■ Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may produce serious damage to the health of the individual. ■ Persons with impaired respiratory function, airway diseases and conditions such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, may incur further disability if excessive concentrations of particulate are inhaled. If prior damage to the circulatory or nervous systems has occurred or if kidney damage has been sustained, proper screenings should be conducted on individuals who may be exposed to further risk if handling and use of the material result in excessive exposures.

Potential chronic health

■ Substance accumulation, in the human body, may occur and may cause some concern following repeated or long-term occupational exposure. There is some evidence that inhaling this product is more likely to cause a sensitisation reaction in some persons compared to the general population. Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray.