| The Home page of ILPI's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Resource, the leader in SDS information since 1995! | |
| The history and philosophy behind this resource. | |
| A curated collection of books and reference materials concerning Safety Data Sheets and closely related topics. | |
| Paste your plain text SDS into the SDS-Demystifier, and it will be converted into a hypertext-enriched document with links to detailed explanations of each key term. | |
| An extensive list of frequently asked questions about Safety Data Sheets including regulations, content, compliance, and more. | |
| A humorous take on Safety Data Sheet jargon. Fill in the blanks on our entry form to generate a personalized Unsafety Data Sheet to share with your coworkers. | |
| Since 1995, we've maintained this massive curated list of the best places to find Safety Data Sheets on the Internet. | |
| Way more than a glossary, this hypertext-enhanced resource covers hundreds of SDS-related terms and expert knowledge. Each entry includes both the SDS relevance and links to additional authoritative resources. | |
| Archived results of Safety Data Sheet related polls taken by some of our millions of site visitors | |
| You are here! The OSHA regulations behind SDS regulations, including the inspection guidelines and over 400 official interpretations letters under the Hazard Communication Standard | |
| Commercial suppliers of SDS authoring and management software as well as cloud compliance services. | |
| Commercial companies that will create SDS's for your specific needs as well as SDS translation companies. |
Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated
Safety signs, banners, and scoreboards? Get yours at Safety Emporium!
| Title: 07/02/1986 - Requirements for fingerprint powders containing carbon black under the Hazard Communication Standard. | |
| Record Type: Interpretation | Standard Number: 1910.1200 |
- National Toxicology Program (NTP), Annual Report on Carcinogen (latest editions);
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographic (latest editions; or
- Those substances regulated as carcinogens under 29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substance, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
|
July 2, 1986
Mr. James W. Gocke Dear Mr. Gocke: Your letters dated April 22 and May 5 have been forwarded to our office for response. Mr. Anderson, Assistant Regional Administrator in Region IV, has informed us of your concern regarding the health hazards of your fingerprint powders containing carbon black. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate chemicals produced in their workplace or imported by them to determine if they are hazardous. Any chemical for which OSHA has a permissible exposure limit (PEL) or the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist (ACGIH) has a threshold limit value (TLV) is automatically considered hazardous as part of the standards floor of chemicals. |  Safety posters are a terrific way of reminding employees of proper procedure. Get yours at Safety Emporium. |
Carbon black does have an OSHA PEL and is also listed by ACGIH. It is therefore automatically considered a "hazardous chemical" under the HCS and any associated health and/or physical hazard would have to be reported on the material safety data sheet.
According to IARC the available data on carbon blacks are inadequate to permit an evaluation of their carcinogenicity to experimental animals. However, there is sufficient evidence that solvent (benzene) extracts in most of the carbon blacks tested are carcinogenic to experimental animals. A chemical manufacturer or importer would have to indicate the results of such studies on the material safety data sheet. A cancer warning on the product's label would not be required since the available epidemiological data provides inadequate evidence to evaluate the carcinogenicity to humans of carbon blacks.
If you have any further question please contact the Office of Health Compliance at (202) 523-8036.
Sincerely,
John B. Miles, Jr., Director
Directorate of Field Operations
May 9, 1986
MEMORANDUM FOR: JOHN B. MILES, DIRECTOR, Directorate of Field Operations
ATTN: DAVE SMITH, DIRECTOR, Office of Health Compliance Assistance
FROM: ALAN C. McMILLAN, Regional Administrator
SUBJECT: Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories' Request for OSHA's Position Regarding Health Effects of Fingerprint Powder Containing Carbon Black
We have received the enclosed letters and package of information from James W. Gocke of Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories. Mr. Gocke has requested an official OSHA interpretation of the health hazards of fingerprint powder containing carbon black (specifically whether or not carbon black is considered to be a suspect carcinogen).
Information is the IARC Monograph, Volume 3, page 23, indicates that: "The reported inability to induce cancer in mice by feeding carbon black... or by applying it to the skin... was overcome by administering solvent extracts by injection or by skin painting."
The monograph indicates that carbon black of the furnace - black type contains several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). IARC Volume 33, page 77, indicates that, "The available epidemiological studies on workers in the carbon-black industry are largely uninformative". Regarding an evaluation of experimental animal carcinogenicity, the data on carbon blacks are inadequate. Volume 33 does state, however, that there is sufficient evidence that solvent (benzene) extracts of most of the carbon blacks tested are carcinogenic to experimental animals.
|
Exhibit G in the attachments, a study done by the Carbon Black Industry Committee for Environmental Health, presents evidence that the carbon black itself is not carcinogenic, and that the PAH's absorbed to carbon black are not biologically active. Please also note that Exhibit I in the attachments is a letter from Thorne Auchter dated July, 1983, which states that the designation of "suspect carcinogen" for carbon black was removed from the 1983 draft of the IHFOM (currently the Technical Manual). We have informed Mr. Gocke that we have forwarded his letters to your office. We would appreciate your responding to Mr. Gocke directly and sending us a copy of your reply. If you have any questions, contact Charlie Anderson, ARA for Technical Support (FTS 257-2281). |  Get your organic laboratory equipment and glassware from Safety Emporium. |
The original official public domain version of this document is available from OSHA at XXXOSHAURL.