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2. Incompatibility: When 2 substances, upon contact, react dangerously with each other,
these substances are incompatible. Incompatible substances must be stored so as to
minimize the potential for contact.

For example
Bleach and toilet bowl cleaner (containing ammonia)
react violently.

3. Reactivity: This provides other information not included under the “Chemical Stability”
and “Incompatibility” headings. Examples:

 A product could self-react if a chemical called an “inhibitor” was removed.
 You do not want to put a material that reacts with plastic in a plastic container.
 Rubber gloves are of no use if a product reacts with, or dissolves in, rubber.

4. Hazardous Decomposition Products: This sub-section describes any dangerous
products released (e.g. gas, vapours) if the material becomes too old, or is exposed to
heating, burning, or oxidation. This is different from “hazardous combustion products”
covered in section 4. When aging is a factor, shelf life must be listed, usually under
section 7 - “Preventive Measures”.

Section 6: Toxicological Properties

This section explains how the controlled product will enter the body and the short and long-term health
effects to the worker if he is overexposed.

1. Route of Entry: The controlled product is not a health concern unless it somehow
enters or comes in contact with your body. Understanding the routes of entry is
important so that appropriate controls can be developed (e.g. ventilation, handling
systems, personal protective equipment). The 2 most common routes of entry are
inhalation and skin contact/absorption. Routes of entry include:
 Skin contact (e.g. burn from acids; irritation from detergents)
 Skin absorption (e.g. through intact skin into the blood stream*)
 Eye contact
 Inhalation (product may affect the lungs or be transferred into the blood stream
from the lungs)
 Ingestion (this includes hazardous materials which may be transferred from
hands and fingers to mouth, or from larger particles originally breathed in,
coughed up, and then swallowed).

* Once in the blood stream, the product can travel throughout the body, and affect a
specific “target” organ.

2. Effects of Acute Exposure to Product: This section describes adverse health effects
from short-term high level overexposure. This could be single exposure or many
exposures within a 24-hour period. A short-term (1 or 2 hours) overexposure to carbon
monoxide can cause effects ranging from headaches and nausea to unconsciousness
and death, depending on the dose. On the other hand, although asbestos can cause
cancer after repeated exposure, after 15 to 20 years, it does not cause any immediate
(acute) effects.

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