Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

K-CEDAR FIBER

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Shredded cedar fiber - LCM

SYNONYMS

"shredded cedar fiber", cellulose, "ground cedar", "oil well drilling mud compound",
"cedar fibre"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May cause CANCER.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Although ingestion is not thought to produce harmful effects, the material may still be damaging to the health of the individual following ingestion, especially where pre-  existing organ (e.g. liver, kidney) damage is evident. Present definitions of harmful or toxic substances are generally based on doses producing mortality (death) rather than those producing morbidity (disease, ill-health). Gastrointestinal tract discomfort may produce nausea and vomiting. In an occupational setting however, ingestion of insignificant quantities is not thought to be cause for concern.  Considered an unlikely route of entry in commercial/industrial environments.  Ingestion may result in nausea, abdominal irritation, pain and vomiting.  

EYE

  Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may produce transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn).  

SKIN

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or skin irritation following contact (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  The material may accentuate any pre-existing skin condition.  

INHALED

  The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects or irritation of the respiratory tract (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable control measures be used in an occupational setting.  Sensitization reactions may appear suddenly after repeatedsymptom free exposures.  Respiratory sensitization may result in allergic/asthma like responses; from coughing and minor breathing difficulties to bronchitis with wheezing, gasping.  Inhalation of vapor may aggravate a pre-existing respiratory condition.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There is some evidence that inhaling this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  There is sufficient evidence to suggest that this materialdirectly causes cancer in humans.  

  Principal routes of exposure are by accidental skin and eye contact andinhalation of generated dusts.  Wood particulates can be contaminated with micro-organisms.  WARNING: Workers in timber industries with a history of exposure to wood  dust have shown increased occurrence of lung, liver, and vocal cavity  cancer. Furniture and cabinet making industry workers exposed to dust have  shown increase in nasal adenocarcinoma  Originally thought to be related to species of hardwood, it is now  suggested that sinonasal cancers may be caused by hardwoods and softwoods.  [Occupational and Environmental Medicine Yearbook 1991, Emmett et al.  p 177]  The causative agent or agents appear to be components of the timber but  have not been identified; certain aldehydes or their quinone oxidation  products have been implicated.  Other chronic responses to wood dust exposures are dermatitis,  conjunctivitis, simple bronchitis and non asthmatic chronic airflow  obstruction.  Wood is an organic substrate for micro-organisms and fungal spores, these  may become airborne with wood dust.