| The
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to
comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards. In addition,
pursuant to Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, employers must provide their
employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause
death or serious physical harm. Emergency Preparedness Guides do not
and cannot enlarge or diminish an employer's obligations under the OSH
Act.
Emergency Preparedness Guides are based on presently available information, as well as current occupational safety and health provisions and standards. The procedures and practices discussed in Emergency Preparedness Guides may need to be modified when additional, relevant information becomes available or when OSH Act standards are promulgated or modified. |
Because of the potential for terrorist events, many
have expressed concern about the possibility of a terrorist attack
involving toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), or toxic industrial
materials (TIMs). These agents can be highly toxic and are produced in
large quantities. The following frequently asked questions will help
workers understand what toxic industrial chemicals are and how they may
affect their health and safety.
General Information
What are toxic industrial chemicals?
Toxic industrial chemicals are industrial chemicals
that are manufactured, stored, transported, and used throughout the
world. Toxic industrial chemicals can be in the gas, liquid, or solid
state. They can be chemical hazards (e.g., carcinogens, reproductive
hazards, corrosives, or agents that affect the lungs or blood) or
physical hazards (e.g., flammable, combustible, explosive, or reactive).
The following table lists the most common TICs listed by their hazard
index.
TICs listed by hazard index |
||
High |
Medium | Low |
| Ammonia (CAS# 7664-41-7) | Acetone cyanohydrin (CAS# 75-86-5) | Allyl isothiocyanate (CAS# 57-06-7) |
| Arsine (CAS# 7784-42-1) | Acrolein (CAS# 107-02-8) | Arsenic trichloride (CAS# 7784-34-1) |
| Boron trichloride (CAS#10294-34-5) | Acrylonitrile (CAS# 107-13-l) | Bromine (CAS# 7726-95-6) |
| Boron trifluoride (CAS#7637-07-2) | Allyl alcohol (CAS# 107-18-6) | Bromine chloride (CAS# 13863-41-7) |
| Carbon disulfide (CAS# 75-15-0) | Allylamine (CAS# 107-11-9) | Bromine pentafluoride (CAS# 7789-30-2) |
| Chlorine (CAS# 7782-50-5) | Allyl chlorocarbonate (CAS# 2937-50-0) | Bromine trifluoride (CAS# 7787-71-5) |
| Diborane (CAS# 19287-45-7) | Boron tribromide (CAS# 10294-33-4) | Carbonyl fluoride (CAS# 353-50-4) |
| Ethylene oxide (CAS# 75-21-8) | Carbon monoxide (CAS# 630-08-0) | Chlorine pentafluoride (CAS# 13637-63-3) |
| Fluorine (CAS# 7782-41-4) | Carbonyl sulfide (CAS# 463-58-1) | Chlorine trifluoride (CAS# 7790-91-2) |
| Formaldehyde (CAS# 50-00-0) | Chloroacetone (CAS# 78-95-5) | Chloroacetaldehyde (CAS# 107-20-0) |
| Hydrogen bromide (CAS# 10035-10-6) | Chloroacetonitrile (CAS# 7790-94-5) | Chloroacetyl chloride (CAS# 79-04-9) |
| Hydrogen chloride (CAS# 7647-01-0) | Chlorosulfonic acid (CAS# 7790-94-5) | Crotonaldehyde (CAS# 123-73-9) |
| Hydrogen cyanide (CAS#74-90-8) | Diketene (CAS# 674-82-8) | Cyanogen chloride (CAS# 506-77-4) |
| Hydrogen fluoride (CAS# 7664-39-3) | 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine (CAS# 540-73-8) | Dimethyl sulfate (CAS# 77-78-1) |
| Hydrogen sulfide (CAS# 7783-0604) | Ethylene dibromide (CAS# 106-93-4) | Diphenylmethane-4.4'-diisocyanate (CAS# 101-68-8) |
| Nitric acid, fuming (CAS# 7697-37-2) | Hydrogen selenide (CAS# 7783-07-5) | Ethyl chlroroformate (CAS# 541-41-3) |
| Phosgene (CAS# 75-44-5) | Methanesulfonyl chloride (CAS# 124-63-0) | Ethyl chlorothioformate (CAS# 2941-64-2) |
| Phosphorus trichloride (CAS# 7719-12-2) | Methyl bromide (CAS# 74-83-9) | Ethyl phosphonothioic dichloride (CAS# 993-43-1) |
| Sulfur dioxide (CAS# 7446-09-5) | Methyl chloroformate (CAS# 79-22-1) | Ethyl phosphonic dichloride (CAS# 1066-50-8) |
| Sulfuric acid (CAS# 7664-93-9) | Methyl chlorosilane (CAS# 993-00-0) | Ethyleneimine (CAS# 151-56-4) |
| Tungsten hexafluoride (CAS# 7783-82-6) | Methyl hydrazine (CAS# 60-34-4) | Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (CAS# 77-47-4) |
| Methyl isocyanate (CAS# 624-83-9) | Hydrogen iodide (CAS# 10034-85-2) | |
| Methyl mercaptan (CAS# 74-93-1) | Iron pentacarbonyl (CAS# 13463-40-6) | |
| Nitrogen dioxide (CAS# 10102-44-0) | Isobutyl chloroformate (CAS# 543-27-1) | |
| Phosphine (CAS# 7803-51-2) | Isopropyl chloroformate (CAS# 108-23-6) | |
| Phosphorus oxychloride (CAS# 10025-87-3) | Isopropyl isocyanate (CAS# 1795-48-8) | |
| Phosphorus pentafluoride (CAS# 7647-19-0) | n-Butyl chloroformate (CAS# 592-34-7) | |
| Selenium hexafluoride (CAS# 7783-79-1) | n-Butyl isocyanate (CAS# 111-36-4) | |
| Silicon tetrafluoride (CAS# 7783-61-1) | Nitric oxide (CAS# 10102-43-9) | |
| Stibine (CAS# 7803-52-3) | n-Propyl chloroformate (CAS# 109-61-5) | |
| Sulfur trioxide (CAS# 7446-11-9) | Parathion (CAS#: 56-38-2) | |
| Sulfuryl chloride (CAS# 7791-25-5) | Perchloromethyl mercaptan (CAS# 594-42-3) | |
| Sulfuryl fluoride (CAS# 2699-79-8) | sec-Butyl chloroformate (CAS# 17462-58-7) | |
| Tellurium hexafluoride (CAS# 7783-80-4) | tert-Butyl isocyanate (CAS# 1609-86-5) | |
| n-Octyl mercaptan (CAS# 111-88-6) | Tetraethyl lead (CAS# 78-00-2) | |
| Titanium tetrachloride (CAS# 7550-45-0) | Tetraethyl pyroposphate (CAS# 107-49-3) | |
| Tricholoroacetyl chloride (CAS# 76-02-8) | Tetramethyl lead (CAS# 75-74-1) | |
| Trifluoroacetyl chloride (CAS# 354-32-5) | Toluene 2.4-diisocyanate (CAS# 584-84-9) | |
| Toluene 2.6-diisocyanate (CAS# 91-08-7) | ||
Source: Guide for the Selection of Chemical and Biological Decontamination Equipment for Emergency First Responders.
National Institute of Justice Guide 103-00 (Volume I), (2001, October).
This guide for emergency first responders provides information about
the selection and use of chemical and/or biological decontamination
equipment for various applications.
Why are we concerned about toxic industrial chemicals as a terrorist’s weapon?
There are large quantities of toxic industrial
chemicals manufactured, stored, transported, and used throughout the
United States which, if obtained by terrorists or caused to be released,
may have extremely serious effects on exposed individuals.
How long would aerosolized toxic industrial chemicals persist in the environment?
The time that these agents persist in the
environment is dependent on many variables such as physical state
(solid, liquid, or gas), weather conditions (wind speed, rain or snow,
air or surface temperature), indoor or outdoor release,
chemical stability, method of release (vapor or aerosol), or quantity
released.
Health Effects
How do toxic industrial chemicals affect people?
Many toxic industrial chemicals are highly toxic and
may rapidly affect exposed individuals. Toxic industrial chemicals
(whether as a gas, aerosol, or liquid) enter the body through
inhalation, through the skin, or through digestion.
The time that it takes for a toxic industrial chemical to begin working
is dependent mainly on the route that the agent enters the body.
Generally poisoning occurs more quickly if a chemical enters through the
lungs (because of the ability of the agent to rapidly diffuse
throughout the body). Information related to how the chemicals affect
humans and symptoms of exposure to specific chemicals can be found in
material safety data sheets (MSDS) or chemical information cards.
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