Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

KIMBERLY-CLARK OFFICE WIPE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Hard surface bactericidal wipe.

SYNONYMS

"bactericidal wipe towelette cleaner"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be damaging to the health of the individual.  Ingestion of ethanol (ethyl alcohol, "alcohol") may produce nausea, vomiting, bleeding from the digestive tract, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the body:  
Blood concentration
Effects
<1.5 g/L
Mild: impaired vision, co-ordination and reaction time; emotional instability
1.5-3.0 g/L
Moderate: Slurred speech, confusion, inco-ordination, emotional instability, disturbances in perception and senses, possible blackouts, and impaired objective performance in standardized tests. Possible double vision, flushing, fast heart rate, sweating and incontinence. Slow breathing may occur rarely and fast breathing may develop in cases of metabolic acidosis, low blood sugar and low blood potassium. Central nervous system depression may progress to coma.
3-5 g/L
Severe: cold clammy skin, low body temperature and low blood pressure. Atrial fibrillation and heart block have been reported. Depression of breathing may occur, respiratory failure may follow serious poisoning, choking on vomit may result in lung inflammation and swelling. Convulsions due to severe low blood sugar may also occur. Acute liver inflammation may develop.
  
  .  

EYE

  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can causeeye irritation and damage in some persons.  This material may produce eye irritation in some persons and produce eye damage 24 hours or more after instillation. Moderate inflammation may be expected with redness; conjunctivitis may occur with prolonged exposure.  Direct contact of the eye with ethanol may cause immediate stinging and burning with reflex closure of the lid and tearing, transient injury of the corneal epithelium and hyperaemia of the conjunctiva. Foreign-body type discomfort may persist for up to 2 days but healing is usually spontaneous and complete.  

SKIN

  There is some evidence to suggest that the material may cause moderate inflammation of the skin either following direct contact or after a delay of some time. Repeated exposure can cause contact dermatitis which is characterized by redness, swelling and blistering.  Skin contact is not thought to have harmful health effects, however the material may still produce health damage following entry through wounds, lesions or abrasions.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  

INHALED

  Inhalation may produce health damage*.  Inhalation of vapors or aerosols (mists, fumes), generated by the material during the course of normal handling, may be damaging to the health of the individual.  There is some evidence to suggest that the material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage.  Inhalation of high concentrations of gas/vapor causes lung irritation with coughing and nausea, central nervous depression with headache and dizziness, slowing of reflexes, fatigue and inco-ordination.  The most common signs of inhalation overexposure to ethanol, in animals, include ataxia, incoordination and drowsiness for those surviving narcosis. The narcotic dose for rats, after 2 hours of exposure, is 19260 ppm.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Asthma-like symptoms may continue for months or even years after exposure to the material ceases. This may be due to a non-allergenic condition known as reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) which can occur following exposure to high levels of highly irritating compound. Key criteria for the diagnosis of RADS include the absence of preceding respiratory disease, in a non-atopic individual, with abrupt onset of persistent asthma-like symptoms within minutes to hours of a documented exposure to the irritant. A reversible airflow pattern, on spirometry, with the presence of moderate to severe bronchial hyperreactivity on methacholine challenge testing and the lack of minimal lymphocytic inflammation, without eosinophilia, have also been included in the criteria for diagnosis of RADS. RADS (or asthma) following an irritating inhalation is an infrequent disorder with rates related to the concentration of and duration of exposure to the irritating substance. Industrial bronchitis, on the other hand, is a disorder that occurs as result of exposure due to high concentrations of irritating substance (often particulate in nature) and is completely reversible after exposure ceases. The disorder is characterised by dyspnea, cough and mucus production.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  Prolonged exposure to ethanol may cause damage to the liver and cause scarring. It may also worsen damage caused by other agents. Large amounts of ethanol taken in pregnancy may result in "fetal alcohol syndrome", characterized by delay in mental and physical development, learning difficulties, behavioral problems and small head size. A small number of people develop allergic reactions to ethanol, which include eye infections, skin swelling, shortness of breath, and itchy rashes with blisters.