The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes carbon disulfide as a colorless liquid with an ether-like odor. Carbon disulfide is used in many industries as a building block in organic chemistry and as an industrial solvent. It has also been found at a number of hazardous waste sites, including in Puerto Rico.
Workers may be harmed from exposure to carbon disulfide with the level of exposure depending upon the dose, duration and work being done. NIOSH lists some examples of workers at potential risk of being exposed to carbon disulfide. The list includes:
- Factory workers who work where rubber is made or processed
- Workers involved in cellophane production
- Employees who work in factories where rayon fabric is made
- Employees involved in the production of carbon tetrachloride
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports that carbon disulfide evaporates at room temperature and the vapor is more than twice as heavy as air. Exposure can occur by breathing contaminated air, skin contact, or by drinking water or foods that contain it.
NIOSH states that exposure can cause dizziness, poor sleep, headache, anxiety, anorexia, weight loss and vision changes, and that it can harm the eyes, kidneys, blood, heart, liver, nerves and skin. Breathing very high levels can be life threatening because of its effects on the nervous system according to ATSDR. The agency also says breathing low levels for long periods may result in headaches, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and slight changes in the nerves.
“To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for carbon disulfide and NIOSH has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL),” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Companies and institutions in Puerto Rico that utilize carbon disulfide, and other potentially harmful chemicals, can turn to the professionals at Zimmetry for industrial hygiene and environmental testing, monitoring, consulting and training services to identify and mitigate these types of exposure risks.”
Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about carbon disulfide and occupational exposure hazards that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/Subn7aBxINU
To learn more about Zimmetry's industrial hygiene, environmental, air quality, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
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