Chemical Agents and Their Health Effects

The chemicals listed below have been specifically mentioned to provide examples of common hazards and their effects. This list must not be treated as all-inclusive. It is important to learn about the chemical hazards specific to your workplace.

Arsenic: Exposure to higher-than-average levels of arsenic occurs in workplaces such as glass manufacturing plants, copper smelters, and lumber treatment plants.

• Acute: fatal, if exposure is at a high level
• Chronic: exposure at low levels over time can cause discoloration of the skin and the appearance of small corns or warts; arsenic has been linked to several types of cancer

Benzene: A component of products derived from coal and petroleum, benzene is found in gasoline and other fuels. It is used in the manufacture of plastics, detergents, pesticides, and other chemicals.

• Acute: short-term exposure to high levels of benzene can result in drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, and death
• Chronic: long-term exposure can affect bone marrow and blood production, and has been linked to the development of fatal leukemia

Diesel exhaust: Diesel exhaust is a mixture of gases and particulates, some of which are very small and toxic. Many occupations are likely to expose workers to diesel exhaust on a regular basis.

• Acute: irritation of the eyes and throat, headaches, nausea
• Chronic: respiratory disease and lung cancer

Ethylene oxide: This chemical is produced in large amounts and used as an intermediate in a variety of industrial chemicals, as a fumigant used in agriculture, and as a sterilizing agent in healthcare settings. It is flammable and highly reactive.

• Acute: respiratory and eye irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Chronic: altered behavior, anemia, secondary respiratory infections, skin sensitization, miscarriages, and reproductive problems

Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is common in the chemical industry, where it is used in the production of resins, as a component of foam insulation, and as an intermediate in a variety of industrial chemicals. Formaldehyde is also used as a preservative in medical settings, as an adhesive in the production of particle board and plywood, and as a treatment for textiles.

• Acute: eye and respiratory irritation from the liquid and vapor forms; severe abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, and possible loss of consciousness if ingested in large amounts
• Chronic: laryngitis, bronchitis, or bronchial pneumonia from high concentrations of vapor inhaled for long periods; conjunctivitis from prolonged exposure; and nasal tumors (reported in animals).

Toluene: Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid that becomes a vapor on exposure to air. This vapor has a distinctive sharp and sweet odor, which is a sign of exposure. Facilities producing paint, metal cleaners, nail polish, printing inks, and adhesives are likely to use toluene, and workers using these end-products may be subject to exposure.

• Acute: eye and mucous membrane irritation from vapor and liquid forms; dizziness, headaches, and mental confusion from vapor inhalation; poisoning from ingestion or absorption through the skin; and thermal burns
• Chronic: leukemia from repeated breathing of the vapor over long periods (if the solvent contains benzene as an impurity), dermatitis from prolonged skin contact, and reproductive disorders

To learn more about GHS visit our GHS Hazard Communication Online Training web page.