Classifying
Health Hazards
Both
Right-To-Know labels and Material Safety Data Sheets must
contain information on a chemical's health hazard. The following
information was taken directly from the OHSA
Health Hazard Definitions page at their web site. Chemicals
which meet any of the following definitions are considered
health hazards.
1.
Carcinogen - A chemical is considered
to be a carcinogen if (a) It has been evaluated by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and found to be a
carcinogen or potential carcinogen; or (b) It is listed
as a carcinogen or potential carcinogen in the Annual Report
on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program
(NTP) (latest edition); or (c) It is regulated by OSHA as
a carcinogen.
2.
Corrosive - A chemical that causes
visible destruction of, or irreversible alterations in,
living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact.
For example, a chemical is considered to be corrosive if,
when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the
method described by the U.S. Department of Transportation
in appendix A to 49 CFR part 173, it destroys or changes
irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of
contact following an exposure period of four hours. This
term shall not refer to action on inanimate surfaces.
3.
Highly toxic - A chemical falling within any
of the following categories:
(a)
A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of 50 milligrams
or less per kilogram of body weight when administered orally
to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
(b)
A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of 200 milligrams
or less per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous
contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours)
with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two
and three kilograms each.
(c)
A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC(50))
in air of 200 parts per million by volume or less of gas or
vapor, or 2 milligrams per liter or less of mist, fume, or
dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour
(or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing
between 200 and 300 grams each.
4.
Irritant - A
chemical, which is not corrosive, but which causes a reversible
inflammatory effect on living tissue by chemical action
at the site of contact. A chemical is a skin irritant if,
when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the
methods of 16 CFR 1500.41 for four hours exposure or by
other appropriate techniques, it results in an empirical
score of five or more. A chemical is an eye irritant if
so determined under the procedure listed in 16 CFR 1500.42
or other appropriate techniques.
5.
Sensitizer - A chemical that causes a substantial
proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic
reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the
chemical.
6.
Toxic - A chemical falling within any of the
following categories:
(a)
A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of more
than 50 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 500 milligrams
per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino
rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
(b)
A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD(50)) of more
than 200 milligrams per kilogram but not more than 1,000 milligrams
per kilogram of body weight when administered by continuous
contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours)
with the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing between two
and three kilograms each.
(c)
A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC(50))
in air of more than 200 parts per million but not more than
2,000 parts per million by volume of gas or vapor, or more
than two milligrams per liter but not more than 20 milligrams
per liter of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous
inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one
hour) to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each.
Related
links
OSHA
HazCom Standard {HCS 1910.1200}
OSHA
Health Hazard Definitions
Free NFPA Ratings Explanation
Guide
For
more information
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only. This guide is not a substitute for review of applicable
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