AHCES Blog

  This FAQ Friday is focused on questions about PPE. If you have any hazard communication questions or safety questions about common chemicals, ask in the comments below or send an email to contact@ariadne-hces.com.  What is PPE? PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. This encompasses a wide variety of items ranging from disposable gloves and earplugs to safety goggles and flame-resistant clothing. PPE is designed to protect the wearer from injury or illness caused by hazardous materials or situations. What PPE do I need for Handling Hazardous Chemicals? The type of PPE needed will vary by the type and severity of the hazards associated with a given hazardous chemical. The Safety Data Sheet (PPE) for a chemical will include PPE recommendations.   Common types of PPE needed for hazardous chemical handling include: Gloves Long-Sleeves Safety Goggles Respirators The AHCES Safety Guide Series  contains PPE recommendations for a variety of common hazardous chemicals. What are the ben

  What is TCCA?   TCCA is short for TriChloroisoCyanuric Acid, also known as Trichloro-S-Triazinetrione. Many pool cleaning agents sold as “chlorine tablets” have TCCA as the primary active ingredient. TCCA is also the primary active ingredient in dry bleach products. Since TCCA is used as a germicide and fungicide in the treatment of water, it is regulated as a pesticide by the EPA and has the associated labeling and disposal requirements. TCCA has the CAS Number 87-90-1. The CAS Number is used to identify TCCA as an ingredient on safety data sheets (SDS) and other safety documentation. When looking for TCCA as an ingredient in pool cleaners, dry bleach, or other products, look for the CAS Number within the composition table. Notable Properties of TCCA TCCA is a white crystalline solid with a halogen odor. When in water, TCCA releases hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is the active disinfecting component used for water treatment and other cleaning purposes. What M

  What is BCDMH? BCDMH is short for 1-Bromo-3-Chloro-5,5-DiMethylHydantoin. Many pool cleaning agents sold as “bromine cleaners” or “bromine tablets” have BCDMH as the primary active ingredient. Since BCDMH is used as a germicide and fungicide in the treatment of water, it is regulated as a pesticide by the EPA and has the associated labeling and disposal requirements. BCDMH has the CAS Number 16079-88-2. The CAS Number is used to identify BCDMH as an ingredient on safety data sheets (SDS) and other safety documentation. When looking for BCDMH as an ingredient in pool cleaners, look for the CAS Number within the composition table. Notable Properties of BCDMH BCDMH is a white crystalline solid with a halogen odor. When in water, BCDMH releases hypochlorous acid, hypobromous acid, and 5,5-dimethylhydantoin. The hypochlorous acid and hypobromous acid are the active disinfecting components used in water treatment. What Makes BCDMH Hazardous? BCDMH has several associated haz

  What are OSHA Labels and DOT Labels? As part of chemical safety, there are regulations on the labels used on hazardous chemicals. For businesses in the United States, the two main types of hazardous chemical labels encountered are OSHA labels and DOT labels. OSHA Labels The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the Department of Labor (DOL) regulates labels used in the workplace. The requirements for the labels are part of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) and can be found at  29 CFR 1910.1200(f) . Required Label Elements Product Identifier , matching the identifier used on the safety data sheet Signal Word , either Warning or Danger Hazard Statements , indicating the hazardous properties of the chemical Pictograms , visual indications of the general type of hazard Precautionary Statements , indicating what precautionary measures need to be taken for the safe handling and storage of the chemical Name, Address, and Telephone Number  of the chemical manufactu

  Breakfast of Champions Casual Friday The AHCES Blog, powered by yogurt and coffee. I have yet to master the art of taking Insta-worthy pictures of food. Development of that skill is at the bottom of the queue in favor of improving GHS hazard categorization. I do recommend the UNITAR "Classifying and Labelling Chemicals According to the UN GHS" course for anyone performing hazardous goods classification. They cover all of the physical and health hazard classifications, which is nice because I don't think I'll ever have to cover explosive classification for a client and wouldn't otherwise get practice on how to do that classification.