CertiGuide to A+ (A+ 4 Real)  9  Chapter 12: Material Safety: a Personal and Technical Report on Hazardous Material Handling       9  Reading and Understanding MSDSs

Section Six - Health Hazard Data 1 Section Eight - Exposure Controls Data

This section expands of the information of the last section and, as such, is often included a part of the health hazards section. Here we find whether the product or any constituents are considered to be a carcinogen, mutagen, tumorigen, teratogen, birth or reproductive hazardous, what organs or body functions are targeted or if the hazard is systemic (that is it will affect any or all parts and/or functions of the body). Additionally we learn what amounts are determined to be lethal.

First, let me throw few more acronyms in your direction. All chemicals consider being carcinogens must be identified in a MSDS if present in the product in amount of 0.1 % or greater. A chemical is considered a carcinogen if:

• It has been evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer¹⁵⁸ (IARC), and found to be a carcinogen or potential carcinogen;
  
  
• It is listed as a carcinogen or potential carcinogen in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program¹⁵⁹ (NTP) (latest edition);
  
  
• OSHA¹⁶⁰ regulates it as a carcinogen.

The lethal dose 50% (LD50) and lethal concentration 50% (LC50) is the level of exposure that is has been determined that fifty per cent of those exposure at that concentration will die. Note, this not a pass/fail kind of thing, the living fifty percent are not okay. Depending on the toxin, the fifty per cent that survives may experience permanent health problems and disabilities. Even if they escape that fate, they will most likely have a harsh and painful recovery.

Both of these levels are given as the amount of toxin in milligram per kilogram of body weight (X mg/kg). The LC50 is sometimes stated as specific concentration for specific time period [most generally 4 hours] (X ppm/4H). Table 28 gives an estimate of what amounts of toxins are required for an average size person

Table 28: Estimated Quantities for Lethal Doses

LD50	Amount
5 mg/kg	A taste (less then seven drops)
5-50 mg/kg	Seven drops to one teaspoon
50-500 mg/kg	One teaspoon to one ounce
500-5000 mg/kg	One ounce to one pint
5000-15000 mg/kg	One pint to one quart
More than 15000 mg/kg	More than a quart

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158. http://www.iarc.fr/

159. http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/

160. http://www.osha-slc.gov/index.html

Section Six - Health Hazard Data 1 Section Eight - Exposure Controls Data

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