WHMIS (Benzene)

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

WHMIS 2015 classification - Note to reader

• Flammable liquids - Category 21
• Flash point = -11 °C closed cup (non reported method) and boiling point = 80 °C

• Acute toxicity - oral - Category 42 3 4 5

• Skin corrosion/irritation - Category 23 6 7 8 9

• Serious eye damage/eye irritation - Category 23 6 8 9 10

• Germ cell mutagenicity - Category 1B3 6 11 12

• Carcinogenicity - Category 1A3 11 13 14 15 16

• Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure (narcotic effects) - Category 3 - Narcotic effect3 9

• Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure - Category 13 8 9

• Aspiration hazard - Category 13
• Liquid hydrocarbon with a kinematic viscosity of 0.74 mm2/s at 20 °C

Danger

Highly flammable liquid and vapour (H225)
Harmful if swallowed (H302)
Causes skin irritation (H315)
Causes serious eye irritation (H319)
May cause genetic defects (H340)
May cause cancer (H350)
May cause drowsinesss or dizziness (H336)
Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure (H372)
May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways (H304)

Ingredient disclosure

References

• ▲1.  National Fire Protection Association, Fire protection guide to hazardous materials. 14th ed. Quincy, Mass. : NFPA. (2010). [RR-334001]
• ▲2.  ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) , Information on chemicals (REACH)/ECHA chemicals database. Helsinki, Finland.   http://echa.europa.eu/information-on-chemicals/registered-substances
  https://chem.echa.europa.eu/
• ▲3.  Centre canadien d'hygiène et de sécurité au travail, CHEMINFO, Hamilton, Ont. : Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety   http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/cheminfo/search.html
• ▲4.  Bureau européen des substances chimiques, European Union Risk Assessment Report : Benzène. 1st Priority List. Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. (2008).   https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/be2a96a7-40f6-40d7-81e5-b8c3f948efc2
• ▲5.  Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, Toxicological Profile for dichorobenzenes . Research Triangle Park, NC : U.S. Department of health and Human Services. (2007). Microfiche : PB2007-100672   https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp3.pdf
• ▲6.  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, RTECS (Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances). Hamilton (Ont) : Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.   http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/rtecs/search.html
• ▲7.  Smyth, H.F. et al., «Range-finding toxicity data : List VI.» American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. Vol. 23, p. 95-107. (1962). [AP-041987]
• ▲8.  France. Institut national de recherche et de sécurité, Fiche toxicologique no 49 : Benzène. Cahiers de notes documentaires. Paris : INRS. (2011).   http://www.inrs.fr/publications/bdd/fichetox.html
  http://www.inrs.fr/publications/bdd/fichetox/fiche.html?refINRS=FICHETOX_49
• ▲9.  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Toxicological profile for benzene. Atlanta, GA : ATSDR. (2007).   http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/
  http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp3.pdf
• ▲10.  Grant, W.M. et Schuman, J.S., Toxicology of the eye : effects on the eyes and visual systems from chemicals, drugs, metals and minerals, plants, toxins and venoms; also, systemic side effects from eye medications. Vol. 1, 4th ed. Springfield (ILL.) : Charles C. Thomas. (1993). [RM-515030]
• ▲11.  IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, A Review of Human Carcinogens: Chemical Agents and Related Occupations. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, Vol. 100F. Lyon : International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2012).   http://monographs.iarc.fr/
  http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100F/index.php
• ▲12.  INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRITERIA 150, Benzene. Genève. (1993). EHC150.   http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc150.htm
• ▲13.  Report on Carcinogens, 15th edition. Research Triangle Park, NC : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. (2021).   https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/pubhealth/roc/index-1.html
• ▲14.  American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices / Documentation of TLV's and BEI's. 7th ed. Cincinnati, Ohio : ACGIH. (2001-). Publication #0100Doc. [RM-514008]   http://www.acgih.org
• ▲15.  IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Overall evaluations of carcinogenicity : an updating of IARC monographs volumes 1-42. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, Supplement 7. Lyon : International Agency for Research on Cancer. (1987).   https://monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Suppl7.pdf
  http://monographs.iarc.fr/
• ▲16.  IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks of Chemical to Humans, Some industrial chemicals and dyestuffs. IARC monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans, Vol. 29. Lyon : International Agency for Research on Cancer. (1982).   https://monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mono29.pdf
  http://www.iarc.fr

The [number] refers to the Information SST database of the CNESST Documentation Center.