Skin and eye contamination

The hazards associated with skin contact of bitumens other than burns are negligible. Flowever, cut-back bitumens and bituminous emulsions, because they are handled at lower temperatures, increase the chance of skin contact. Studies carried out by Shell demonstrated that the bitumen is unlikely to penetrate the skin and the bitumens diluted with solvents are unlikely to present a carcinogenic risk. Nevertheless, bituminous emulsions can cause irritation to the skin and eyes and can produce allergic responses in some individuals (Shell Bitumen 2003). 

A hot bitumen splash may cause serious eye injury. Direct contact with cut-back, emulsions and small particles of cold hard bitumens may cause eye irritation (CONCAWE 1992). 

Proper body and eye protective gear (clothing, glasses, etc.) should always be used in order to minimise skin and eye contamination by bituminous materials. 

Coal tar pitch contains a large proportion of carcinogenic compounds (Wallcave et al. 1971) and thus its use has been prohibited in many countries. 

---

The necessary containment or transport capability of a local ventilation sy stem depends on the type of contaminant present and its health risks. There could be different demands for gases and particles, for contaminants that have immediate health risks and those that have long-term effects, for contaminants that affect the breathing system and those that affect the skin and eyes, for infectious contaminants, fot contaminants that follow the air streamlines closely and those that fall out on floor and work surfaces, etc. (See Chapter 5 for physiological and toxicological considerations.)... 

Field First Aid Remove victim(s) to an area of safety (away from the Hot Zone). Remember patients may contaminate you and/or other emergency responders if you fail to don proper personal protective equipment. Provide victims with emergency medical care as soon as possible. Unless otherwise recommended, remove victim(s) clothing, shoes, and personnel belongings for later return. If the victim was obviously in contact with infectious substance(s), flush skin and eyes for fifteen to twenty minutes. Route victim(s) to hospital for a physician s professional opinion. Ensure that hospital staff is fully aware of the medical situation and the poison or infectious substance that may be involved. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test (ELISA) is now approved for anthrax use in hospital laboratories. 

Radionuclides used in a terrorist attack may emit beta particles. A beta particle is, in effect, an energetic electron ejected from an unstable nucleus. Beta particles can travel several feet in air and damage exposed tissues such as the skin and eyes. The primary external threat from beta-emitting radionuclides is through direct contact. Thus, it is important to move away from contaminated areas and wash contaminated body parts as soon as possible. Although beta particles may... 

Caution. Chalcogenophenols have an unpleasant odor and are toxic. H2S, H2Se, or H2Te may be liberated on treatment with acid or exposure to the open air. These compounds should therefore be handled under inert gas in a well-ventilated hood. Contaminated glassware should be treated with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution for several hours and rinsed thoroughly with water and acetone before removal from the fume hood. Mercury and mercury salts are highly toxic, and skin and eye contact must be avoided. Mercury residues should be disposed of as toxic heavy metal waste. 

Hydrogen bromide, HBr (mp, -87°C bp, -66.5°C), and hydrogen iodide, HI (mp, -50.8°C bp, -35.4°C), are both pale yellow or colorless gases, although contamination by their respective elements tends to impart some color to these compounds. Both are very dense gases, 3.5 g/1 for HBr and 5.7 g/1 for HI at 0°C and atmospheric pressure. These compounds are used much less than HC1. Both are irritants to the skin and eyes and to the oral and respiratory mucous membranes. 

Level C provides the same skin and eye protection as level B, but uses an air-purifying respirator (rather than a SCBA). Level C gear is to be used only when the chemical contaminant is known and the criteria for use of an air-purifying respirator are met (Dickens, 2002). 

SAFETY PROFILE Moderately toxic by inhalation and intraperitoneal routes. Mildly toxic by ingestion. Human systemic effects by inhalation sleep effects, excitement, anorexia, and blood pressure decrease. Experimental teratogenic and reproductive effects. Mutation data reported. A skin and eye irritant. Questionable carcinogen with experimental tumorigenic data. A common air contaminant. 

Propargite exhibits very little systemic toxicity in animals. No systemic poisonings have been reported in humans. However, many workers having dermal contact with this acaricide have experienced skin irritation and possibly sensitization in some cases. Eye irritation has also occurred. For this reason, stringent measnres shonld be taken to prevent inhalation or any skin or eye contamination by propargite. 

As with other petroleum hydrocarbon products, management in most cases is symptomatic. Attention should be paid to possible aspiration pneumonitis after ingestion exposure vomiting should not be induced. Oral or high concentration vapor exposure may cause CNS depression the patient should be removed to fresh air. Liquid may cause skin or eye irritation contaminated clothing should be removed, and skin and eyes should be flushed with water. 

The presence of DAAB as a dye contaminant in cosmetics and food products could result in low level exposures via the oral and dermal routes. Occupational exposure may occur through inhalation and dermal contact where these chemicals are produced or used as a chemical intermediate and polymer additive. DAAB is harmful to the respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. Most exposures to the general population are typically through consumption of food and use of cosmetics containing DAAB impurities. 

In case of inhalation, the victim should be moved to fresh air and emergency medical care called. If not breathing, artificial respiration should be administered. In case of direct contact, the skin and eyes should be flushed with running water for at least 15 min to remove the chemical as soon as possible. Contaminated clothing and shoes should be removed and isolated at the site. Normal body temperature should be maintained and the victim kept quiet. Vital signs should be monitored as the onset of toxic effects of endosulfan might be delayed. 

Occupational exposure to 2-heptanone may occur by inhalation or dermal contact during its production, formulation, or transport. Exposure to the general population may occur by ingestion of food in which it occurs naturally, by inhalation during the use of commercial products in which it is used as a solvent or by the ingestion of contaminated drinking water. The principal route of occupational exposure is by inhalation. Skin and eye contact may also occur. 

The victim should be removed from the exposure environment. Exposed skin and eye should be copiously flushed with water and thoroughly decontaminated to prevent further absorption. Contaminated clothing and shoes should be removed and isolated at the site. 

For dermal exposure, removal of contaminated clothes and decontamination of the skin (and eyes) with copious amounts of water is frequently recommended (Bronstein and Currance 1988 Haddad and Winchester 1990 Stutz and Janusz 1988). 

The victim should be removed to an uncontaminated atmosphere (at ambient temperature) but must not be allowed to have unnecessary exertion (increased oxygen demand by the muscles can exaggerate the symptoms). Affected skin and eyes should be thoroughly washed with water and contaminated clothing must be removed [41,238,253,256,363,505,1318, 1404,1456,1893,ICI21-ICI241. 

Owing to the poor warning properties of the gas to the human senses, automatic continuous monitors equipped with alarm systems are recommended [36,1486,1893], and a detailed specification for such devices has been provided [1484]. Skin and eye contact with phosgene should be avoided, but contaminated clothing should be removed immediately and decontamination effected by washing. Emergency showers should be provided [1893] in any facility in which phosgene is stored, used or manufactured. 

Sodium silicate solutions are considered to be harmful by ingestion, severe irritant to skin and particularly eyes. Contamination of eyes can result in permanent injury. Avoid skin and eye contact. Wear protective gloves, full face shield, rubber boots and overalls. 

Substances in this class are used to contaminate individuals for immediate discouragement and also for subsequent identihcation purposes. They can be dispersed in solution from pressurized handheld canisters for one-on-one use, or by water canon for large-scale antiriot use. One series of markers are visible dyestuffs, whose use results in immediate staining of clothing and skin for deterrent or recognition purposes. These markers clearly need to be chosen on the basis of their staining properties, lack of local toxicity to skin and eyes, notably irritancy and sensitization, and freedom from environmental problems. Occult markers are colorless substances that will fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and thus are used for identihcation purposes. 

Primary Irritation. Dispersed as smoke, aerosol, or in solution, agents will contaminate skin and eyes and may cause acute inflammatory reactions at these sites. Therefore, there is a requirement to know if contact with the skin and eye will have a local tissue injuring potential and how formulation may affect the reaction. Supplemental to standard eye irritation tests it is of practical value to undertake in vivo studies on the influence of the agent on corneal thickness by pachymetry and on lOP by tonometry (Ballantyne et al., 1977a Myers et al., 1998 Ballantyne, 1999b). 

Immediately after exposure, there is eye irritation and coughing, sneezing, salivation and lachrymation rapidly follow. Contamination of the skin causes erythema at concentrations of 0.05-0.01 mg cm-2 (Inns et al., 1990) with vesication after a few hours. Pain in the skin and eyes is immediate, a major point of difference from sulphur mustard. The effects in the eye and skin reach their greatest at 4-8 h post-exposure. The patient is seriously incapacitated, breathing with difficulty and unable to see. In severe cases, pulmonary edema follows and the patient may die of respiratory failure. In cases where skin contamination is extensive, there may be liver necrosis and the absorption of arsenic may be sufficient to cause death. 

---