Chemical categorization irritants

TABLE 16-1 Industrial Chemicals and Their Categorization as Skin Irritants... 

Chemicals and chemical mixtures that attack the respiratory system are categorized as corrosives, irritants, and sensitizers. Though the term irritant is often applied in the literature to chemicals that are either corrosives or irritants, the definitions used here are those that follow. These definitions are identical to those used by toxicologists and regulatory agencies to classify the hazards due to chemical inhalation. 

Vulcanization accelerators None of these chemical substances can be categorized as absolutely harmless. Most of them are potential skin and mucosa irritants. The thioureas are particularly critical in this sense. Most of the thiuram products and dithiocarbamates are problematical with regard to nitrosamines, which will be addressed in greater detail in chapter 7.3. 

Harmful is the most commonly used classification and describes a substance which, if it is swallowed, inhaled or penetrates the skin, may pose limited health risks. These risks can usually be minimized or removed by following the instruction provided with the substance (e.g. by using personal protective equipment). Many household substances fall into this category including bitumen-based paints and paint brush restorers. Many chemical cleansers, such as trichloroethylene, are categorized as harmful. It is very common for substances labelled harmful also to be categorized as irritant. 

---