Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

UNIVAR METHYL SALICYLATE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used according to manufacturer' s directions.

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.
Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.
Toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the aquatic
environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 40 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  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.  High oral doses of salicylates, such as aspirin, may cause a mild burning pain in the throat and stomach, causing vomiting. This is followed (within hours) by deep, rapid breathing, tiredness, nausea and further vomiting, thirst and diarrhea. The central nervous system is first stimulated, and then depression from failure occurs. Stimulation produces vomiting, hyperventilation, headache, ringing in the ears, confusion, behavior and mood changes, and generalized convulsions. Respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse can result in death. There may also be sweating, skin eruptions, internal bleeding, kidney failure and inflamed pancreas. There may be bloody stools, purple skin spots or blood in the vomit. Many of these symptoms are due to disturbances in blood chemistry. A dose of 300 mg/kg can cause serious effects while 500 mg/kg can be lethal.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  The material may produce severe irritation to the eye causing pronounced inflammation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to irritants may produce conjunctivitis.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may produce toxic effects; systemic effectsmay result following absorption.  This material can cause inflammation of the skin oncontact in some persons.  The material may accentuate any pre-existing dermatitis condition.  The material may cause severe skin irritation after prolonged or repeated exposure and may produce on contact skin redness, swelling, the production of vesicles, scaling and thickening of the skin. Repeated exposures may produce severe ulceration.  

INHALED

  If inhaled, this material can irritate the throat andlungs of some persons.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of vapors, fumes or aerosols, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Principal routes of exposure are by accidental skin and eye contact and by inhalation of vapors especially at higher temperatures.  Chronic exposure to salicylates produce problems with metabolism, central system disturbances, or kidney damage. Those with pre-existing damage to the eye, skin or kidney are especially at risk. Hypersensitive reactions can occur, especially in people with asthma. These symptoms include itchy wheals and other skin eruptions, an inflamed nose, shortness of breath and serious narrowing of the airways (which can even cause death). Chronic exposure to parabens by skin contact, ingestion or injection can cause hypersensitive reactions. There may be cross-sensitivity between different species, so people can be develop allergic symptoms if they were sensitized by other chemicals. Symptoms include acute narrowing of the airways, hives (itchy wheal), swelling, running nose and blurred vision. There may be anaphylactic shock and rash.  Contact allergies quickly manifest themselves as contact eczema, more rarely as urticaria or Quincke's edema. The pathogenesis of contact eczema involves a cell-mediated (T lymphocytes) immune reaction of the delayed type. Other allergic skin reactions, e.g. contact urticaria, involve antibody-mediated immune reactions. The significance of the contact allergen is not simply determined by its sensitization potential: the distribution of the substance and the opportunities for contact with it are equally important. A weakly sensitizing substance which is widely distributed can be a more important allergen than one with stronger sensitizing potential with which few individuals come into contact. From a clinical point of view, substances are noteworthy if they produce an allergic test reaction in more than 1% of the persons tested.