WHITELEY NULOOK
Flammability | 1 | |
Toxicity | 2 | |
Body Contact | 4 | |
Reactivity | 2 | |
Chronic | 2 | |
SCALE: Min/Nil=0 Low=1 Moderate=2 High=3 Extreme=4 |
Ceramic tile cleaner.
Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.
Causes severe burns.
Risk of serious damage to eyes.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment.
The material can produce severe chemical burns within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract following ingestion. Ingestion of alkaline corrosives may produce burns around the mouth, ulcerations and swellings of the mucous membranes, profuse saliva production, with an inability to speak or swallow. Both the esophagus and stomach may experience burning pain; vomiting and diarrhea may follow. Epiglottal swelling may result in respiratory distress and asphyxia; shock can occur. Narrowing of the esophagus, stomach or stomach valve may occur immediately or after a long delay (weeks to years). Severe exposure can perforate the esophagus or stomach leading to infections of the chest or abdominal cavity, with low chest pain, abdominal stiffness and fever. All of the above can cause death. 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.
The material can produce severe chemical burns to the eye following direct contact. Vapors or mists may be extremely irritating. Alkaline salts may be intensely irritating to the eyes and precautions should be taken to ensure direct eye contact is avoided. Direct eye contact with corrosive bases can cause pain and burns. There may be swelling, epithelium destruction, clouding of the cornea and inflammation of the iris. Mild cases often resolve; severe cases can be prolonged with complications such as persistent swelling, scarring, permanent cloudiness, bulging of the eye, cataracts, eyelids glued to the eyeball and blindness. If applied to the eyes, this material causes severe eye damage.
The material can produce severe chemical burns following direct contactwith the skin. The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition. 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. Skin contact with alkaline corrosives may produce severe pain and burns; brownish stains may develop. The corroded area may be soft, gelatinous and necrotic; tissue destruction may be deep. 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.
The material can cause respiratory irritation in some persons. The body's response to such irritation can cause further lung damage. Persons with impaired respiratory function, airway diseases and conditions such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, may incur further disability if excessive concentrations of particulate are inhaled. The material is not thought to produce adverse health effects following inhalation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless, adverse effects have been produced following exposure of animals by at least one other route and good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable control measures be used in an occupational setting. Inhaling corrosive bases may irritate the respiratory tract. Symptoms include cough, choking, pain and damage to the mucous membrane. In severe cases, lung swelling may develop, sometimes after a delay of hours to days. There may be low blood pressure, a weak and rapid pulse, and crackling sounds.
Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems. Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray. Repeated or prolonged exposure to corrosives may result in the erosion of teeth, inflammatory and ulcerative changes in the mouth and necrosis (rarely) of the jaw. Bronchial irritation, with cough, and frequent attacks of bronchial pneumonia may ensue. Gastrointestinal disturbances may also occur. Chronic exposures may result in dermatitis and/or conjunctivitis.