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Isocyanates |
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Solutions |
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Many workers are unaware of the potential hazards
that chemicals present in their
work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to injury. The following references aid in recognizing and evaluating hazards associated with
isocyanates in the workplace.
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Right
to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets.
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.
These fact sheets include 1,055 individual hazardous chemicals
with information about acute and chronic health hazards.
At least 100 fact sheets are revised every year
and 235 have been translated into Spanish.
The following fact sheets cover isocyanate
compounds.
- 3-Chloro-4-Methyl Phenyl Isocyanate. CAS No. 28479-22-3,
(2004, March), 32 KB
PDF,
6 pages.
- Hexamethylene Diisocyanate. CAS No. 822-06-0,
(1999, April), 35 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
- Isophorone Diisocyanate. CAS No. 4098-71-9,
(1999, February), 34 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
- Methylene Bisphenyl Isocyanate. CAS No. 101-68-8,
(1998, June), 33 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
- Methyl Isocyanate. CAS No. 624-83-9,
(2002, April), 36 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
- Tolene-2,4-Diisocyanate. CAS No. 584-84-9,
(2002, April), 37 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
- Tolene-2,6-Diisocyanate. CAS No. 91-08-7,
(2002, March), 35 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
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OSHA Technical Manual (OTM). OSHA
Directive TED 01-00-015 [TED 1-0.15A],
(1999, January 20).
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Chemical Hazard Communication. OSHA Publication 3084, (1998).
Also available as a 2.5 MB
PDF, 31 pages.
Addresses the need for chemical hazard communication and
explains why a standard is necessary to minimize workplace hazards.
- Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Air-Purifying Respirator Cartridges in Removing MDI Aerosols from Air.
The Dow Chemical Company, (1997).
Shows that organic vapor cartridges without a particulate filter were not effective at removing
Methylene bisphenyl isocyanate (MDI) aerosols from air,
while
organic vapor cartridges with dust/mist (DM) or high efficiency (HEPA) filters effectively removed greater than 99
percent of MDI aerosol and vapor in all test atmospheres.
- Preventing Asthma and Death from Diisocyanate Exposure.
US Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-111,
(1996). Discusses the recognition, evaluation, and control of diisocyanate exposures.
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Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to life or Health Concentrations
(IDLHs). National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Chemical Listing and Documentation of Revised IDLH Values, (1995,
March 1).
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prepared four Health Effects Fact Sheets for specific isocyanates.
- The following studies indicate that respiratory sensitivity to isocyanates may be related to previous dermal exposure.
- Kimber, I. "The Role of the Skin in Development of
Chemical Respiratory Hypersensitivity."
Toxicology Letters
86(1996): 89-92.
- Bickis, U., and K. Nakatsu. "A Single Skin Contact with Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI) Causes a One-Year Persistence of Airway Sensitization, Demonstrable in Vivo and in Vitro." (1996). Abstract of platform presentation No. 310 presented at the 1996 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition.
- Bickis,
U. "Investigation of Dermally Induced Airway
Hyperreactivity to Toluene Diisocyanate in
Guinea Pigs." Ph.D. thesis,
Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, Queen’s University,
Kingston, Canada, (1994).
- Karol, M. H., et al.
"Dermal Contact With Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI)
Produced Respiratory Tract
Hypersensitivity in Guinea Pigs." Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol 58(1981):
221-230.
- Rattray, N. J., et al. "Induction of Respiratory Hypersensitivity to
Diphenylmethane-4,4’-Diisocyanate (MDI) in
Guinea Pigs; Influence of
route of exposure." Toxicology 88(1994):
15-30.
- Deschamps, F., et al. "Mechanisms of Occupational Asthma Induced by Isocyanate." Ann. Occup. Hyg.
42(1998): 33-36.
- Cole, K. C., et al.
"Flexible Polyurethane Foam. I. FTIR
Analysis of Residual Isocyanate." Applied Polymer Science
34(1987): 395-407.
Possible Solutions for Workplace Hazards
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Health Hazard Evaluations. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH). Performs Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs)
for a wide variety of industries that use
isocyanates to determine whether any substance normally found in the
workplace contains
potentially toxic concentrations. NIOSH
also provides specific control recommendations.
To access the online database, follow the
link and then search the site using the term
"isocyanate." Some HHEs that focus on isocyanates are listed below.
- Isocyanate Exposures From Polyurethane Foam Packaging Operations, General Motors Corporation, Allison Transmission Division, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Report No. HETA
99-0065-2780, (1999, December), 1 MB PDF, 16 pages.
- Isocyanate-Containing Compounds During Spray Painting Operations, Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, Marietta, Georgia.
Report No. HETA
99-0122-2798, (2000, June), 2 MB PDF, 21 pages.
- Worker Exposure To Methylene-bisphenyl-diisocyanate (MDI) From Foam Spraying Operations In an Adjacent Building, Twin City Fruit, F.L. Thorpe Co., Deadwood, South Dakota.
Report No. HETA
89-0278-2035, (1990, April), 1 MB PDF, 17 pages.
- Isocyanates Used In Some Powder Coatings,
Modern Materials Incorporated,
Rochester, Indiana.
Report No. HETA
90-0174-2231, (1992, July), 3 MB PDF, 56 pages.
- Possible Isocyanate and Polyamide Imide
Resin Exposures Occurring During Brazing
and Welding Operations, Square D
Company, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Report No. HETA
94-0312-2512, (1995, June), 1 MB PDF, 23 pages.
- A Summary of Health Hazard Evaluations: Issues Related to Occupational Exposure to Isocyanates, 1989 to 2002.
Report No. HETA 99-0039, (1999, April), 1 MB
PDF, 42 pages. Presents some background
information about isocyanate exposures,
health effects, analytical methods, and
general recommendations for most isocyanate-related
HHEs. The major portion of this document
presents the titles and summaries of the
site visits related to isocyantes
conducted between 1989 and 2002.
- PMDI User Guidelines for Chemical Protective Clothing Selection.
Alliance for the Polyurethane Industry (API) Technical Bulletin AX178, (2002, January),
245 KB
PDF, 6 pages.
Presents guidelines for selecting the appropriate chemical protective clothing for working with polymeric methylene diisocyanate (polymeric MDI or PMDI) and PMDI-based foam systems.
- TDI User Guidelines for Chemical Protective Clothing Selection.
Alliance for the Polyurethane Industry (API) Technical Bulletin AX179, (2001, July), 128 KB
PDF,
6 pages. Presents guidelines for selecting appropriate
chemical protective clothing for working with toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and TDI-based
foam systems.
- Use of portable air compressors as a source of air supply for supplied air respirators.
OSHA, (1985). States that under current policy, supplied air
respirators are not to be used in an
atmosphere that is immediately dangerous
to life or health (IDLH) unless the
respirator is
equipped with a self-contained air supply
for escape.
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
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