Injury Illness Prevention Plan - Flipbook - Page 218
Health and Safety Program Manual
Teamwrkx
Construction, Inc.
Issue Date: 10/16/23
Revision Date: 10/16/23
Benzene Awareness
Reference: B-2
x CAS No.: 71-43-2
Benzene is a flammable liquid that can accumulate static electricity. Benzene vapors are heavier than air and
may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. The vapors are readily dispersed by wind movement and/or air
currents. Liquid benzene tends to float on water and may travel to a source of ignition and spread fire. Benzene
is highly reactive with no oxidizing materials. The maximum time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 1
part of benzene vapor per million parts of air (1 ppm) for an 8-hour workday and the maximum short-term
exposure limit (STEL) is 5 ppm for any 15-minute period.
Uses
Benzene is a component of gasoline, both in the manufacturing process and found naturally in crude oil;
Benzene is also used as a feedstock for chemical manufacturing.
Health Effects
Warning
Benzene is a cancer-causing agent in humans. All contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. The
above exposure limits are for air levels only. Skin contact may also cause overexposure.
Benzene is one of the most hazardous of all petroleum products because of its adverse health hazards and high
flammability.
The following adverse health effects are important to remember where there may be potential exposure to
Benzene:
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Acute: Short-term (acute) overexposure: If you are overexposed to high concentrations of
benzene, well above the levels where its odor is first recognizable, you may feel breathless,
irritable, euphoric, or giddy; you may experience irritation in eyes, nose, and respiratory tract.
You may develop a headache, feel dizzy, nauseated, or intoxicated. Severe exposures may lead
to convulsions and loss of consciousness.
Chronic: Long-term (chronic) exposure. Repeated or prolonged exposure to benzene, even at
relatively low concentrations, may result in various blood disorders, ranging from anemia to
leukemia, an irreversible, fatal disease. Many blood disorders associated with benzene exposure
may occur without symptoms.
Chronic exposure can also cause convulsions, liver damage, heart damage, blood diseases (aplastic anemia), and
cancer (leukemia). These symptoms can take months or years to surface and can develop without physical or
visible indications.
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