CHEMICAL

SAFETY
Chemistry for Engineers
01 Determine the chemical’s potential
hazards.

02
Demonstrate the proper chemical
handling and chemical hazard-
related scenarios.

03 Identify the hazardous chemicals

within the chemistry laboratory.

04
Categorize the hazardous
chemicals based on their
properties using the NFPA 704 and
GHS labeling.
 QUESTION
If you were in the victim’s
position, what would you
do to prevent and avoid
this scenario?
 CHEMICAL SAFETY

HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL CHEMICAL

CHEMICALS
These are substances that
are dangerous to people,
wildlife, and the environment.
SAFETY
It covers all aspects of
chemical use, including the
manufacture, transport, use,
and disposal of chemicals.
HAZARDS
It is an occupational hazard
where potentially harmful
chemicals are involved.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF HAZARDOUS
CHEMICALS
CHARACTERISTICS
OF HAZARDOUS
CHEMICALS
THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
Hazardous chemicals stay in the environment for
long periods of time and do not biodegrade or
break down easily. Because hazardous chemicals
are slow to break down, they can remain in the soil,
water, or ice for many years after they have been
banned.
 THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
1 - Intentionally
Produced
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic
chemicals that adversely affect human health and the 2 - Unintentionally
environment around the world. Because they can be Produced - Result
transported by wind and water, most POPs generated from some industrial
processes and
in one country can and do affect people and wildlife
combustion.
far from where they are used and released.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

aldrin ¹ hexachlorobenzene ¹,²
chlordane ¹ mirex¹
dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT)¹ toxaphene¹
dieldrin¹ polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) ¹,²
endrin¹ polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins²(dioxins)
heptachlor¹ polychlorinated dibenzofurans² (furans)
THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
Example: DDT
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) was
developed as the first of the modern synthetic
insecticides in the 1940s. It was initially used with
great effect to combat malaria, typhus, and the
other insect-borne human diseases among both
military and civilian populations. It also was
effective for insect control in crop and livestock
production, institutions, homes, and gardens
Example: DDT
The heavy use of this highly persistent chemical, however, led to widespread
environmental contamination and the accumulation of DDT in humans and
wildlife - a phenomenon brought to public attention by Rachel Carson in her
1962 book, Silent Spring.

THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
Example: DDT
A wealth of scientific laboratory and field data have now confirmed research
from the 1960s that suggested, among other effects, that high levels of DDE (a
metabolite of DDT) in certain birds of prey caused their eggshells to thin so
dramatically they could not produce live offspring.

THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
Example: DDT
The following sequence
of events shows how
DDT can become a
problem for many
animals in a food web.

THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
Example: DDT

Before banning the DDT After banning the DDT

THEY ARE
PERSISTENT
THEY ARE
BIOACCUMULATIVE
Hazardous chemicals can build up in the
bodies of organisms over time, and they can
be spread via the food chain.
THEY ARE
BIOACCUMULATIVE
There’s a big difference between
bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

Bioaccumulation is defined as the

increase of contaminant
concentrations in aquatic organisms
following uptake from the ambient
environmental medium.

Biomagnification is the concentration

of toxins in an organism as a result of
its ingesting other plants or animals in
which the toxins are more widely
disbursed.
 THEY ARE
BIOACCUMULATIVE
Example: PFCs
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are a broad range of compounds used in
numerous applications including stain repellents for textiles, additive to
paper products, and in aqueous film forming foams used to fight electrical
fires. A factory may discharge PFCs, an extremely persistent pollutant, into
the river. The PFCs may then be absorbed by small fish and other aquatic
organisms. As they are eaten by bigger animals, the PFCs are passed on as
well, moving up to the next level of the food chain.
Example: PFCs
As the PFCs travel up the food chain,
they become more concentrated –
thus, the largest quantity of
chemicals are usually found in top-
level predators such as polar bears
or people. Numerous studies have
found PFCs throughout the food
chain, from aquatic invertebrates,
fish, and amphibians to large
mammals such as whales and polar
bears. Polar bears especially face
many health threats from hazardous
chemicals, not just PFCs.

THEY ARE
BIOACCUMULATIVE
THEY ARE TOXIC
TO ORGANISMS
Hazardous chemicals have a range of toxic
effects on animals and people. Depending on
the type of chemical, they can cause cancer,
damage the nervous system, disrupt the
reproductive system, or alter the function of
hormones, just to name a few negative
effects.
 THEY ARE TOXIC
TO ORGANISMS
Example: Mercury poisoning
Prior studies revealed that chronic Hg
poisoning arises from multiple potential
sources and routes of exposure, although
limited to case reports and small series.
Exposures can be due to different forms of Hg,
including organic (phenylmercury or
methylmercury), inorganic (Hg1+ mercurous or
Hg2+ mercuric salts), and elemental species.
Modes of entry include inhalation, absorption
through the skin or mucous membranes, or
ingestion. Sources of exposure include
inhalation during fluorescent lightbulb
recycling, ingestion of herbal and traditional
medicinal supplements, ingestion of
freshwater fish containing methylmercury,
topical exposure by hair dying agents,6,8 and
transdermal exposure through use of facial
whitening creams, of which was the most
common exposure type.
ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING
CHEMICALS
A special group of hazardous chemicals
is called endocrine-disrupting chemicals
(EDCs). Also known as hormone
disruptors, they are particularly harmful
due to their ability to disrupt the proper
function of the body’s hormones.
Hormones act as the body’s chemical
messengers, passing along critical
information. The system of hormones is
called the endocrine system, and it is
crucial to the body’s healthy functioning.
ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING
CHEMICALS
Example: Acetaminophen
Abstract:
Researches about the reproductive disrupting effects of
acetaminophen in an anthropocentric perspective have been very
pronounced since it yielded medical importance. However, there are
limited studies to delineate the effects of acetaminophen in the other
animal models, specifically aquatic animals, which their habitat could
be a potential reservoir of accumulating acetaminophen derived
from sewage. This study will identify if acetaminophen concentrations
produce any significant effect on the endocrine disrupting effects on
adult zebra fish. Five fishes per concentration and per sex were
exposed to varying concentrations of acetaminophen (0, 50 and 100
mg L-1) for 7 days. Swimming pattern and behavioral responses were
recorded. The exposed fishes were subjected to histopathological
examinations. Reproductive success of zebra fish exposed to different
concentrations of acetaminophen was also observed. Descriptive
approach was used to evaluate the changes in histology of the
gonads. Results showed that acetaminophen causes endocrine
disruption through the presence of spermatogonia, oogonia,
spermatocytes, oocytes, granulose and sertoli cells.
ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING
CHEMICALS
Example: Bisphenol A
“Drinking from plastic bottles ‘increases exposure to gender-
bending chemical’,” The Daily Telegraph has warned.

It said that scientists have demonstrated that plastic containers

release a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) into the liquid they
contain. The newspaper said that BPA has been shown to
interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been
linked to cardiovascular disease in humans. It said experts warn
that babies are at greater risk because heating the bottles
increases the amount of BPA released.
 Endocrine-
Toxic to
Bioaccumulative Disrupting
Persistent Biomagnified Organism Effects

CHARACTERISTICS OF
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
GLOBALLY HARMONIZED
SYSTEM (GHS)
The Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
was developed by the United Nations for
international standardization of hazard
classification and communication. The
United States’ Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) has adopted
GHS. Since June 2015, all manufacturers
are required to prepare labels and SDS,
according to GHS. Some manufacturers
already comply with this regulation.
CHEMICAL HAZARD
CLASSIFICATION
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
OF THE GHS
The Hazard Communication Standard (29CFR 1910.1200)
requires all manufacturers or distributors of any products
containing chemicals to evaluate the chemical hazards of the
product. The evaluation is performed by classifying each
chemical based on published toxicological or other data to
determine its physical and health hazards.
CHEMICAL HAZARD
CLASSIFICATION
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
OF THE GHS
The identified hazards have to be communicated on the container label and in documents
called Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Manufacturers and distributors are required to provide
safety data sheets to their clients that describe the results of the classification and all
known hazards of a chemical.
Example of Safety Data Sheet
GHS LABEL ELEMENTS
The main health and physical hazards have
to be indicated on the product label by
using pictograms, signal words, and
standardized hazard statements. Based on
the classification of the product, the
hazards are described in standardized
phrases called "hazard statements". For
example, a highly toxic chemical requires a
statement "Fatal if inhaled or swallowed".

1. Signal Word - The signal word indicates hazard level. "Danger" is used for the most
severe instances, while "Warning" is less severe.
2. GHS Symbol - These pictograms are used to identify hazardous products and are
commonly grouped by chemical / physical risk, health risk and environmental risk.
3. Manufacturer Information
4. Precautionary Statement/First Aid - They describe general preventive, response, storage
or disposal precautions.
5. Hazard Statements - These are phrases that describe the nature of hazardous products
and the degree of hazard.
6. Product Name or Identifiers - This identifies the product or chemical name.
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: TOXICITY (HEALTH)
Definition:
• Causes poisoning depending on
the mode of exposure
• Has five (5) categories, but two
(2) are reclassified
Category 1: Severe Toxicity
Category 2: High Toxicity
Category 3: Moderate Toxicity
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: CORROSION / IRRITATION (HEALTH)
Definition:
• Causes severe skin damage, from
burns to cellular destruction, to
complete organ failure
• Metal corrosion (a physical
hazard) is classified here as well
• Has three (3) categories, with two
(2) being reclassified
Category 1: Severe Corrosive Property
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: SENSITIZATION (HEALTH)
Definition:
• Causes respiratory or other organ
hypersensitivities
• Cancer-causing materials can also be
classified as such
Categories:
• Mutagenicity – can cause heritable mutations
in human cells
• Carcinogenicity – can cause malignant tumors
to develop over time with enough exposure
• Reproductive Toxicity – debilitates reproductive
development and functions
• Target Organ Toxicity – causes significant
health effects upon singular, or repetitive,
exposure that impairs organ function
(aspiration hazards are included)
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: ENVIRONMENTAL
Definition:
• Chemicals that can cause adverse
environmental damage to the environment in
either short-term or long-term exposure
• Has four (4) categories, with two (2) being
reclassified
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL (PHYSICAL)
Definition:
• Chemicals capable of
causing a sudden, almost
instantaneous release of
pressure, gas, and heat
when subjected to sudden
shock, pressure, or high
temperature
• Organic peroxides, be in
liquid or solid that contains
the bivalent O=O structure
are also classified here
• Has one (1) category, with
six (6) subcategories
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: FLAMMABLE MATERIAL (PHYSICAL)
Definition:
• Chemicals capable of
spontaneously igniting depending
on the material’s flashpoint
• Organic peroxides are also
classified here
• Classified as either flammable or
combustible depending on the
material’s flashpoint
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: FLAMMABLE MATERIAL (PHYSICAL)
Kinds:
• Pyrophoric Liquid – a liquid that ignites
within five (5) minutes after contact with
air
• Self-heating Substance – a substance
that heats itself by reacting with air,
which ignites and combusts after a very
long time
• Self-reacting Substance – a thermally
unstable liquid or solid that can undergo
an exothermic decomposition without
oxygen
• Liquid-contact Flammable Substance –
a solid or liquid that gives off flammable
gases in dangerous quantities when
brought in contact with water
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
HAZARD TYPE: FLAMMABLE MATERIAL (PHYSICAL)
Flammable VS. Combustible

Flammable liquids burn at normal

working temperatures while
combustible liquids need heat before
they will ignite. They also have
different flashpoints.

Flammable liquids have a flash point

of less than 100°F. Liquids with lower
flash points ignite easier.
Combustible liquids have a flashpoint
at or above 100°F. The vapor burns,
not the liquid itself.
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS IA (FLAMMABLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint
“Flash point” is the minimum
temperature at which a liquid gives
off vapor within a test vessel in
sufficient concentration to form an
ignitable mixture with the air near the
surface of the liquid.

Flashpoint: 𝑇𝑓 <73℉ or <22.78℃

Boiling Point: 𝑇𝑓 <100℉ or <37.78℃

Examples: ethylene oxide, methyl

chloride, pentane

The examples are from National Fire

Protection Association (NFPA 30)
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS IB (FLAMMABLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint: 𝑇𝑓 <73℉ or <22.78℃
Boiling Point: 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 100℉ or ≥ 37.78℃

Examples: acetone, benzene, ethyl

alcohol, gasoline, isopropyl alcohol
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS IC (FLAMMABLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint: 100℉ < 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 73℉ or 37.78℃
< 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 22.78℃
Boiling Point: 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 100℉ or ≥ 37.78℃

Examples: butyl alcohol, diethyl glycol,

styrene, turpentine
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS II (COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint: 140℉ < 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 100℉ or 60℃ <
𝑇𝑓 ≥ 37.78℃
Boiling Point: ----

Examples: camphor oil, diesel fuel,

pine tar, Stoddard solvent
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS III A (COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint: 200℉ < 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 140℉ or
93.33℃ < 𝑇𝑓 ≥ 60℃
Boiling Point: ----

Examples: creosote oil, formaldehyde,

formic acid, fuel oil#1
GHS HAZARD CLASSES
CLASSIFICATION: CLASS III B (COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID)
Flashpoint: T𝑓 ≥ 200℉ or ≥ 93.33℃
Boiling Point: ----

Examples: castor oil, coconut oil, fish

oil, olive oil
THANK YOU