Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

KOPPERS CREOSOTE/NSR 80/20

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Preservative.

SYNONYMS

"KC310 creosote NSR 80/20"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

May cause CANCER.
Harmful in contact with skin and if swallowed.
Irritating to eyes and skin.
Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Adverse effects associated with the administration of central nervous system stimulants include labored breathing, coughing, narrowed airways, chest tightness, and throat spasm. Muscular involvement may produce contraction small localized muscle fibers (visible through the skin) or seizures. Headache, dizziness, fever and confusion may also result. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty in urination, alterations in blood pressure and irregular heart beat.  Some phenol derivatives can cause damage to the digestive system. If absorbed, profuse sweating, thirst, nausea, vomiting diarrhea, cyanosis, restlessness, stupor, low blood pressure, gasping, abdominal pain, anemia, convulsions, coma and lung swelling can happen followed by pneumonia. There may be respiratory failure and kidney damage. Chemical burns,  seizures and irregular heartbeat may result.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  Some phenol derivatives may produce mild to severe eye irritation with redness, pain and blurred vision. Permanent eye injury may occur; recovery may also be complete or partial.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption.  This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons.  The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition.  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.  Phenol and its derivatives can cause severe skin irritation if contact is maintained, and can be absorbed to the skin affecting the cardiovascular and central nervous system. Effects include sweating, intense thirst, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cyanosis, restlessness, stupor, low blood pressure, hyperventilation, abdominal pain, anemia, convulsions, coma, lung swelling followed by pneumonia. Respiratory failure and kidney damage may follow.  Exposure to this product can cause sensitization of skin under sunlight. The product can reach the skin via the bloodstream either if swallowed or ingested. Swelling and redness are common; blistering may also occur. The skin may become warm and itchy. There may also be discoloration. Phototoxicity is a non-allergic condition and severity depends on the concentration of the offending chemical and the amount of radiation of particular wavelengths, usually in the UV spectrum. Inflammation develops on uncovered areas such as the hands and face; covered areas are usually spared. This is usually more like sunburn than an eczema. Coal tar products often cause phototoxic reactions. Phototoxic compounds may show their nature either by generating free radicals or reacting directly with target molecules under UV light.  This material is a photosensitizer. Certain individuals working with this substance may show allergic reaction of the skin under sunlight. This results in sensitivity to sunburn (may be severe) unless protective covering and 15+PF sunscreen are used. Responses may vary from sunburn-like effects to swelling and blistering lesions.  

INHALED

  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.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of vapors, fumes or aerosols, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  If phenols are absorbed via the lungs, systemic effects may occur affecting the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Inhalation can result in profuse perspiration, intense thirst, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cyanosis, restlessness, stupor, falling blood pressure, hyperventilation, abdominal pain, anemia, convulsions, coma, swelling and inflammation of the lung. This is followed by respiratory failure and kidney damage. Phenols also cause loss of sensation and general depression at high concentrations. The toxicities of phenol derivatives vary.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  There is limited evidence that, skin contact with this product is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  There is ample evidence that this material can be regarded as being able to cause cancer in humans based on experiments and other information.  Long-term exposure to phenol derivatives can cause skin inflammation, loss of appetite and weight, weakness, muscle aches and pain, liver damage, dark urine, loss of nails, skin eruptions, diarrhea, nervous disorders with headache, salivation, fainting, discoloration of the skin and eyes, vertigo and mental disorders, and damage to the liver and kidneys.