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Occupational Health & Safety Community

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What happen to the skull and crossbones warning?

by Rocknrollterri, Jul 11, 2008 10:40PM
I am a victim of occupational chemical exposures. I was cleaning pill counting machinery between pills with canned air dusters. I was a pharmacy technician. The can said canned air. I almost died from asphixiation,heart problems,occupational asthma, vocal cord dysfunction,frostbitten eyes,Dyspnea,memory loss and many other damages.I did obtain the msds sheets and found out I was working with 100% freon r134a cas 811-97-2 and canned air 75-37-6 hfc152a Dymel. self contained breathing apparatus is needed.It is not allowed to leak in the air. MSDS sheets  say Flammable gas.Extremely hazardous. Title 111 hazard section 311,312 acute(yes)Fire(yes)pressure(yes)  extremely hazardous substance  Health 1 flammability 4 reactivity 1 use of product may require compliance with29 CFR 1910.119 These products cause unconsciousness and death.These Freon(canned air dusters)aerosol propellants cause incoordination,neausea,headache,weakness,nervous system depression and can kill a rat in 4 hours. MFR set a 1000ppm pel.Inhalation at high levels caused labored breathing and lung irritation. msds on canned air 152a says single dose high level caused lethargy.  FREON (gas) also lays at sea level as these gases are 4-5 times heavier than air.When heated by the sun or hot metal forms phosgene. When burned turns to hydrofloric acid.Fire protective clothing and antistatic control. MSDS sheets also say accidental release if spill or leak in access of 1000ppm turn off valves and ignition resources. Evacuate and ventolate area. TSCA inventory included. I do not understand how these FREON gases can be sold as canned air. Refrigeration repair men and car a/c have to reclaim these freons. Who regulates these deadly chemicals? Kids are huffing them and dying tehy call it dusting, We are unknowingly being chemically exposed. I have found a skin product at a ortho office called instant cool.100%(freon)msds says avoid skin contact(defatting of skin) other aerosols mix butane and propane.where is warnings?skull and crossbones? They used to be on old medication bottles.I had the msds updated with osha after my occupational chemical  exposures. I became disabled. I have reactive airways disease as a result of occupational asthma. I am lucky to be alive. I just do not understand if msds sheets are even checked out. Can anything go in a canned aerosol? I contacted osha after my exposures for investigation. The pharmacy was cited for no training,no msds sheets,no mask,goggles,gloves and confined area.They switched to a vacume method after I left.
Member Comments (1)

by Frank303, Aug 23, 2008 10:53AM
Crikey, the tin should say what the contents are including the propellant. Even in the states where the with the poor environmental reputation (gas guzzling Kyoto etc) I thought they were up on refrigerant handling. We evacuated a building on mere suspicion of R134a leak from an aircon unit.
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