Overview of Health Hazards

IN THIS ARTICLE

• Health Hazards

• The Health Hazard Pictogram
• The Exclamation Mark Pictogram
• A Closer Look at Some Classes
• Using the Label
• Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single Exposure
• Skin and Eye Hazards
• Combining the Elements
• Skin Sensitization

 

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Health Hazards

Recall that the WHMIS health hazard classes are:

• Acute toxicity
• Aspiration hazard
• Biohazardous infectious materials
• Carcinogenicity
• Germ cell mutagenicity
• Health hazards not otherwise classified (HHNOC)
• Reproductive toxicity
• Respiratory or skin sensitization
• Serious eye damage/eye irritation
• Skin corrosion/irritation
• Specific target organ toxicity – Repeated exposure
• Specific target organ toxicity – Single exposure

 

 

The Health Hazard Pictogram

The health hazard pictogram is used for a number of classes.

• Respiratory sensitization
  A respiratory sensitizer may cause allergy or asthma symptoms, or breathing difficulties if inhaled. (Remember that the Skin sensitization category of this class uses the exclamation mark pictogram.)
• Germ cell mutagenicity
  May cause genetic defects or is suspected of causing genetic defects. Mutations can lead to birth defects or cancer.
• Carcinogenicity
  May cause cancer or is suspected of causing cancer.
• Reproductive toxicity
  May damage fertility or the unborn child, or is suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child.
  (Note that while this class includes a category for hazards that can affect or be transmitted through lactation, no pictogram is required for this category.)
• Specific target organ toxicity – Single exposure
  Causes or may cause a specific, but not fatal, target organ toxicity (e.g., damage to liver, kidneys, or blood) that occurs from a single exposure only.
  (Note that Category 3 of this class uses the exclamation mark pictogram for products that may cause drowsiness or dizziness, or that may cause respiratory irritation.)
• Specific target organ toxicity – Repeated exposure
  Causes or may cause damage to organs through repeated or prolonged exposure.
• Aspiration hazard
  May be fatal if swallowed and enters the airways.

Example: Acetaldehyde
Recall that products can belong to one or more classes, depending on their hazards. Acetaldehyde is an example that has many hazards and belongs to several classes:

• Flammable liquids - Category 1
• Acute toxicity - oral - Category 4
• Serious eye damage/eye irritation - Category 2
• Skin sensitization - Category 1B
• Carcinogenicity - Category 1B
• Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure - Category 3 - Respiratory tract irritation

 

The Exclamation Mark Pictogram

Like the health hazard pictogram, the exclamation mark pictogram is used for a number of classes.

This pictogram indicates products that have health hazards; however, these hazards may not be as severe as other categories in that class.

• Acute Toxicity (Cat. 4)
  Harmful if swallowed. Harmful in contact with skin. Harmful if inhaled.
• Skin Corrosion/Irritation (Cat. 2)
  Causes skin irritation.
• Eye Irritation (Cat. 2 and 2A)
  Causes serious eye irritation.
• Skin Sensitization (Cat. 1, 1A and 1B)
  A skin sensitizer may cause an allergic skin reaction. (Remember that the Respiratory sensitization category of this class uses the health hazard pictogram.)
• Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single Exposure (Cat. 3)
  May cause respiratory irritation. May cause drowsiness or dizziness.

 

 

A Closer Look at Some Classes

These products can cause severe health effects or even death if you breathe them in, if they come in contact with your skin, or if they are swallowed.

The "acute toxicity" hazard class uses the skull and crossbones or the exclamation mark pictogram to indicate products that can cause adverse effects following brief exposure. (The exposure could be a single oral or dermal exposure, or multiple doses given within 24 hours, or an inhalation exposure of 4 hours.)

The hazard statements for this class will help indicate the seriousness of the effects. Statements with "fatal" are more serious than "toxic". "Toxic" is more serious than "harmful".

For example: Sodium cyanide is used to extract metals from ores. The hazard statement is: "Fatal if swallowed" and/or "Fatal in contact with skin".

Chlorine is used to disinfect swimming pool water. The hazard statement is: "Fatal if inhaled".

Product labels for both of these products use the skull and crossbones pictogram.

 

 

Using the Label

How do you know if the product is classified as fatal, toxic or harmful? Read the label for more information, including the hazard statements.

 

 

 

Specific Target Organ Toxicity – Single Exposure

"Specific target organ toxicity – Single exposure" is the hazard class for products that may cause significant, non-lethal damage to organs following a single exposure.

In addition, products that may cause respiratory tract irritation and/or drowsiness or dizziness are covered in this class.

These products are labelled with either the health hazard or the exclamation mark pictogram.

For example, toluene may cause drowsiness or dizziness.

Like the "Acute toxicity" class, read the label and look for the pictogram, signal word, and hazard statement to determine the severity level of the hazard.

 

 

Skin and Eye Hazards

These products can cause effects ranging from severe skin burns and eye damage (corrosion) to skin irritation or eye irritation.

The corrosion and exclamation mark pictograms are used to indicate the following classes:

• Skin corrosion (indicated by the corrosion pictogram)
• Skin irritation (indicated by the exclamation mark pictogram)
• Serious eye damage (indicated by the corrosion pictogram)
• Eye irritation (indicated by the exclamation mark pictogram)

 

 

Combining the Elements

Here is a summary that shows how the combination of pictograms, signal words, and hazard statements work together to tell you the degree of the hazard.

 

 

 

Skin Sensitization

The exclamation mark is also used for products that can cause allergic skin reactions. This hazard class is known as "Skin sensitization".

The signal word is "Warning" and the hazard statement is "May cause an allergic skin reaction".

Methyl methacrylate, an acrylic resin used to make plastics and a wide variety of medical and dental applications, is an example of a product that causes skin sensitization.