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Understanding the NIOSHPocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

The June 1997 440 page NIOSH Pocket Guide containing 667 chemicals, fortypages of introduction, Appendices A-G, and two indices has a green cover thatlooks like ...

Chemicals are listed alphabetically, four to a two-page flat. On the next page arethe two Pocket Guide pages containing the chemical Toluene.

_______________While this learning guide stands alone, it works best when used with your copyof the NIOSH Pocket Guide.

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Pages 310-311

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Toluene

C6H

5CH

3

108-88-3XS5250000

1294 130

108-05-4:328108-10-1:164108-11-2:212108-18-9:110108-20-3:182108-21-4:180108-24-7: 2108-31-6:188108-38-3:336108-39-4: 78108-44-1:312108-46-3:272108-67-8:320108-83-8:108108-84-9:164108-87-2:204108-88-3:310

108-90-7: 62108-91-8: 84108-93-0: 84108-94-1: 84

1249:2441255:2461256:2201259:2221261:2301262:2361265:2441268:2861271:3321274:2681276:2661279:2681280:2701282:2721292:1421294:310

1296:3181297:3181299:3241301:3281303:332

Each two-page flat of four chemicals has fourteen columns,starting on the far left. The first column is titled: Chemicalname, structural formula, CAS and RTECS Nos., and DOTID and guide Nos. Toluene is the third chemical from thetop, or second chemical from the bottom, beginning on page310. The first column has four lines of information abouttoluene (see box at left).

If we focus on the CAS number 108-88-3, we can utilize theCAS Number Index at the back of the Pocket Guide. If you

come across a barrel at your work site without a labeland marked only with a CAS number, you can thencheck the number using your CAS Number Index. Onpage 378 of the Pocket Guide, you will find the columnreproduced to the right. You see from the information inthe column that you are to turn to page 310 of the PocketGuide to find the chemical with the CAS number 108-88-3, toluene.

Next, look again to the first column onpage 310. Find the DOT ID andGuide Numbers 1294 130 at thebottom of this column, underToluene. You can then find your copyof the DOT Emergency ResponseGuidebook 2000 and turn to theorange section and find GuideNumber 130, which is on pages 224-225. Here you can learn more abouttoluene. This DOT ID number wouldalso be useful, for example, if atanker truck at your work site startedleaking. Not having a shippingmanifest close by, you notice thenumbers in the middle of thediamond-shaped placards on the truck. They read: 1294.Grabbing your handy Pocket Guide, you turn to the DOT IDNumber Index at the back of the book and find 1294 in thiscolumn on page 385(see column to the left on this page). Youare sent to

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page 310 where you locate a chemical with the DOT ID of 1294. You discoverthat the DOT Guide Number for 1294 is 130 and the chemical is toluene.

The mustard-colored cover to the ERG 2000 looks like this:

On the top half of the next page are two pages for Guide Number 130 in the ERG2000.

Moving to Column Two on page 310, one finds this heading: Synonyms, tradenames, and conversion factors. Looking down to the third row at toluene, youdetermine that there are four other names for toluene, at least for now: Methylbenzene, Methyl benzol, Phenyl methane, Toluol. These names are usefulwhen a label or the only information we can readily get is a synonym or tradename. Imagine a five gallon metal can with commercial label on it with the namePhenyl methane. What does this mean? To find out, look to the back of thePocket Guide for the Synonym and Trade Name Index. On page 248 there are

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two columns. The fifth chemical from the top in the right-hand column is Phenylmethane, 310. That is right. On page 310 of the Pocket Guide there is achemical with the synonym of phenyl methane – toluene. Finally, at the bottom ofthe column the conversion formula from vapors (ppm) to particulates (mg/m3) isgiven as 1 ppm = 3.77 mg/m3.

The third column from the left on page 310 is titled: Exposure limits (TWAunless noted otherwise). The Pocket Guide provides both the NIOSH REL(Recommended Exposure Limits) and the OSHA PEL (Permissible ExposureLimit) if available. Both limits are expressed in time-weighted averages (TWA).Short-term Exposure Limits (STEL) and Ceiling Limits (C) may also be given.Explanations for these terms are on pages x-xi of the “Introduction.” Looking atthis column, the reader finds that OSHA-enforceable PEL for toluene is 200 ppm.

The fourth column is labeled IDLH. If a chemical has a concentration which hasbeen determined to be Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health, theconcentration is listed in this column. Toluene has an IDLH of 500 ppm. NIOSH

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MW: 92.1 VP : 21mmBP: 232oF FRZ: -139oFSol (74oF): UEL: 7.1% 0.07% LEL: 1.1%Fl.P: 40oFIP: 8.82 eV

Sp. Gr. 0.87Class IB Flammable Liquid

NIOSH500 ppm: CCROV*/PAPR*/GMOV/SA*/SCBAF§:SCBAF:PD,PP/SAF:PD, ASCBA. Escape: GMFOV/SCBAE

defines an IDLH condition as one “... that poses a threat of exposure to airbornecontaminants when the exposure is likely to cause death or immediate or delayedpermanent adverse health effects or prevent escape from such an environment.”More information on IDLH can be found on pages xi-xiii of the “Introduction.”

The fifth column from the left on page 310 is Physical description. Toluene isdescribed as being a colorless liquid with a sweet, pungent, benzene-likeodor.

Chemical and physical properties is the next column and it is in turn dividedinto two columns. If the chemical has an RgasD value, it would be listed near the

bottom of the column. Pages xiii-xiv ofthe Pocket Guide list the abbreviationsand what they represent. See the nextpage for these abbreviations.

One can readily determine from thiscolumn that toluene is a highly flammableliquid with a 6% explosive range which asa liquid just does float on water. It has ahigh vapor pressure and a heavier-than-air vapor density.

With two columns left on page 310, the only one to be discussed here is theIncompatibilities and reactivities column. Toluene is incompatible with strongoxidizers and will react.

The ninth column from the left or the first column on page 311 is Personalprotection and sanitation (See Table 3). Table 3 is two pages starting with xxiii.This column is straightforward and easy to understand.

The second column on page 311 keys directly to the Exposure and IDLH columnson page 130. Column Ten is Recommendations for respirator selection –maximum concentration for use (MUC), (See Table 4). See the box below.

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Looking at Table 3 (beginningon page xxv), one can find thethe numerous symbols andrespirator abbreviations listed inColumn Ten. For example:GMFOV (APF=50) .... any air-purifying full facepiece respirator(gas mask) with a chin-style,front-or back-mounted organicvapor canister.SCBAE .... Any appropriateescape-type, self-containedbreathing apparatus. SCBAF:PD,PP (APF=10,000) ... Any self-contained breathingapparatus that has a fullfacepiece and is operated in apressure-demand or otherpositive-pressure mode.SAF:PD,PP:ASCBA ... Anysupplied-air respirator that has afull facepiece and is operated ina pressure-demand or otherpositive-pressure mode incombination with an auxiliarysel f -conta ined breath ingapparatus operated in pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.

The remaining four columns fallunder the heading of Healthhazards. The first health hazardcolumn is Route, for Route(s) ofEntry. Toluene may enter the

body any of four ways: Inh; Abs; Ing; andCon. Page xvii of the “Introduction”reproduced to the left provides us withthe Pocket Guide’s route of entrymeanings.

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The second Health hazards column is Symptoms (See Table 5). Symptomslisted for toluene are Irrit eyes, nose; ftg, weak, conf, euph, dizz, head; dilatedpupils, lac; ner, musc ftg. insom; pares; derm; liver, kidney damage. Table5 starts on page xxxiii and is three an one-half pages (includes target organs).Page xxxiv is printed below.

The third Health hazards column is First Aid (See Table 6). Recommended firstaid for exposure to toluene is:

Eye: Irr immedSkin: Soap wash promptBreath: Resp supportSwallow: Medical attention immed

Table 6 begins on page xxxvii and is four pages. Definitions for some of theabbreviations used above and others are provided. For example:

Breath:Resp support ................... If a person breathes large

amounts of this chemical, move the exposedperson to fresh air at once. If breathing hasstopped, perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.Keep the affected person warm and at rest. Getmedical attention as soon as possible.

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Back Cover

The fourth and final Health hazards column and fourteenth and final column ofthe two-page flat on toluene is Target organs (See Table 5). The target organsfor toluene are eyes, skin, resp sys, CNS, liver, kidneys. Table 5 will tell youthat resp sys is the respiratory system and CNS is the central nervous system.The three and one-half pages of Table 5 contain many more abbreviations for ourbody’s organs.