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2002 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Hazardous Household Products
Printer Friendly Version (PDF)
Including Handouts
Introduction
• Target Audience
• Objectives
• Main Teaching Points
• Handouts •
Suggestions for
Teaching Lesson
Introduction
A toxic substance is any chemical or mixture that may be harmful to the
environment and/or to human health if it is inhaled, swallowed or absorbed
through the skin. Some toxic substances are found in nature. There are naturally
occurring toxins (poisonous substances coming from living organisms) found in
certain plants like poinsettias and even some wild mushrooms and berries.
However, the toxic substances contained in most everyday household products are
synthetic, which means they are man-made. A substance which is not toxic is
called a “non-toxic” substance. Non-toxic substances are safe to use and do not
harm humans and the environment.
Many of the products you find in your home may have toxic substances. These
products include:
- drain cleaners,
- oven cleaners,
- laundry detergents,
- floor or furniture polish,
- paints, and
- pesticides.
While these products are useful at home, some of the chemicals in these
products can irritate your skin, eyes, nose and throat or can even be poisonous.
Target Audience
- EHC members
- Adult audiences
Objectives
- Participants will understand the differences between toxic and non-toxic
household products.
- Participants will understand how to safely use, store and dispose of
household chemicals.
- Participants will learn what to do in case of an accident with a
hazardous household chemical.
Main Teaching Points
- Identification of hazardous materials
- Labeling
- Selecting, using and storing the right product safely
- What to do in case of an accident
Handouts
Suggestions for Teaching the
Lesson
- Obtain enough copies of handouts for each participant.
- Review the information in the lesson guide and on the handouts.
Leader says:
Household products are hazardous if they are:
- Ignitable – capable of burning or causing a fire.
- Corrosive – capable of eating away materials and destroying living tissue
when contact occurs.
- Explosive and/or Reactive – can cause an explosion or release poisonous
fumes when exposed to air, water or other chemicals.
- Toxic – poisonous, either immediately (acutely toxic) or over a long period
of time (chronically toxic).
- Radioactive – can damage and destroy cells and chromosomal material
(known to cause cancer, mutations and fetal harm).
How Do You Know If a Product Is Hazardous?
The Federal Hazardous Substances Act of 1960 established labeling
requirements for consumer products containing hazardous substances. If a product
has a hazardous substance, the front label must include a warning and a
description of the hazard.
Levels of hazards are identified this way:
DANGER – substances which are extremely flammable, corrosive or highly
toxic.
POISON – substances which are highly toxic.
WARNING or CAUTION – substances which are moderately or slightly
toxic.
What Is a Pesticide?
People often think that pesticide means insecticide. Actually,
pesticide refers to not only insecticides but many other kinds of chemicals.
A pesticide is any substance intended to control, destroy, repel or
attract a pest. Pests can be insects, mice and other animals, weeds, fungi or
microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Some examples of pests are termites
causing damage to our homes, dandelions in the lawn and fleas on our dogs and
cats. Pesticides also are used to kill organisms that can cause diseases. Most
pesticides contain chemicals that can be harmful to people, animals or the
environment.
Some examples of pesticide products we use in our homes are:
- cockroach sprays and baits
- mosquito sprays
- rat poisons
- flea and tick sprays, powders and pet collars
- cleaners used to disinfect the kitchen floor
- cleaning products used to remove the mildew on bathroom tiles
- household plant sprays
- lawn and garden products to kill insects and weeds
- some swimming pool chemicals
Handout 1: Common Household Pesticides
Leader says:
Regulations concerning pesticides are different. On pesticides, the word
“warning” means the product is moderately toxic. This means that one teaspoon to
one ounce can kill an average adult. The word “caution” means the product is
slightly toxic. It would take over one ounce to kill an average adult. A
statement telling you how to avoid the hazard must appear with safe use
instructions. Examples might be KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN or USE IN A
WELL-VENTILATED AREA.
As a consumer, you should make it a habit to read hazardous product labels.
These labels must include the following information:
- Brand name
- Common and/or chemical name (for example, sodium hypochlorite or bleach)
- Amount of contents (for example, 16 oz)
- Signal word – danger, poison, warning or caution
- Instructions for safe handling and use (for example, recommended amount
to use)
- Name and address of manufacturer, distributor, packer or seller
- Description of hazard and precautions (for example, irritant to skin and
eyes, harmful if swallowed)
- First aid instructions, when necessary or appropriate (for example, if
swallowed, feed milk)
What the Labels Don’t Tell?
Label information is directed at “acute” or immediate effects only. You are
not given information about “chronic” or long-term hazards of chemical products,
such as cancer or birth defects. There are other concerns about labels as well.
Some products contain ingredients that have not been officially recognized by
the federal government as hazardous but still are cause for concern. “Inert”
ingredients are chemicals added as “carriers” for the active ingredients in
cleaners and pesticides. Only the percentage of inert ingredients is required on
the label, not their identity. Some inert ingredients are hazardous.
There is no standardized list of chemical names. Many chemicals have numerous
trade and/or scientific names. This makes it hard for you to compare products.
Antidotes listed on the label may be incomplete, out-of-date or even dangerously
wrong. Also, many labels do not tell you how to dispose of a product safely.
The use of the term “non-toxic” is for advertising only. It has no regulatory
definition by the federal government.
It is very important that you know as much as possible about products before
you use them so that you can adequately protect yourself. If a product label
does not provide ingredients or adequate instructions on safe use, look for
another product that has a more complete label.
Most hazardous household products can be grouped into four major categories:
- Automotive products which are hazardous include motor oil, brake and
transmission fluid, antifreeze and car batteries, gasoline, kerosene, diesel
fuel and car wax with solvent
- Household cleaners include drain cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners,
spot removers, silver polishes, furniture polishes, cleansers and powdered
cleaners, window cleaners, bleach, liquid cleaners, dyes
- Paints and solvents include latex, oil-based, auto and model paint,
paint stripper, primer, rust remover, turpentine, varnish, wood
preservative, mineral spirits, glues
- Pesticides
Other hazardous products include aerosol products, dry cell and disc or
button batteries, hearing aid batteries, moth balls and flakes, shoe polish,
photographic chemicals, smoke detectors and air fresheners and deodorizers.
Handout 2: Hazardous Household Products
Agent Says:
Hazardous substances may enter your body in three ways: ingestion, inhalation
and absorption through the skin. Along with your exposure, “how strong and how
long” you come in contact with a chemical will help determine how harmful a
chemical is to you.
Toxins can be ingested by eating or drinking hazardous substances or
contaminated food and water. Ingestion is a major cause of poisoning in children
6 and under and in individuals 55 years and older. Keep the hazardous products
out of the reach of children and in a locked area.
When you are working with hazardous products, avoid putting anything in your
mouth. Don’t eat, don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t even place things that enter
your mouth in the work area. When you’re finished, remove any contaminated
clothing and wash your hands (and other exposed body parts) with soap and water.
Then you can put something in your mouth.
Toxins can be inhaled. Gases, vapors and sprays pass directly through the
lungs and enter the blood. That is why good ventilation is essential. When you
are working inside, use a fan to direct air away from the work area to open
windows. Air conditioners do not provide sufficient ventilation since they
recirculate air, even when set on “vent.” Thus, they do not remove contaminants.
If you can smell a toxic chemical, your ventilation is not sufficient (although
some harmful chemicals have no odor). Use + mask or respirator to protect
yourself.
Toxins can be absorbed through the skin. Hazardous products containing
irritants or corrosives will injure the skin and then are absorbed. Some
hazardous chemicals can be absorbed without causing any damage to the skin. Wear
gloves and/or protective clothing. Your eyes are also vulnerable to injury. Many
hazardous products can cause eye damage if splashed into the eye. Oven cleaners,
drain cleaners and paint thinners are just three examples.
Wear goggles when working with these products. Regular eyeglasses do not
provide enough protection. Do not wear contact lenses (especially soft lenses)
when working with hazardous products. The lenses absorb the vapors and then hold
the irritant against your eye. Safety goggles are inexpensive and can be
purchased at hardware, automotive supply and farm equipment stores.
Your exposure is based on how and where on your body you came in contact with
the chemical.
Select the Right Product
When you go shopping for products, your selection can be your first step
toward minimizing danger. Follow these guidelines:
- Read the label. Make sure you want the product. Are the ingredients safe
to use in and around your home?
- Make sure the product will do the job you need to have done.
- Buy the least hazardous product for the job. Let the signal words
(Poison, Danger, Warning, Caution) be your guide.
- Check the label to see if a product has several uses. Then you can avoid
buying a different product for each job.
- Avoid aerosol products. Aerosol products may contain hazardous or toxic
propellants, and the fine mist they produce may be more easily inhaled.
Pressurized cans cause problems or explode when crushed, punctured or
burned.
- Make sure you know how to properly dispose of the container.
- Remember, the word “non-toxic” is for advertising only. It does not mean
the product meets any federal regulations for non-toxicity.
Use the Product Safely
It may be impossible to totally eliminate hazardous products in your home.
The following guidelines will help you when using hazardous products to keep
your home and environment safe.
- Read the directions on the label and follow them. Twice as much doesn’t
mean twice the results.
- Use the product only for the tasks listed on the label.
- Wear protective equipment recommended by the manufacturer.
- Handle the product carefully to avoid spills and splashing. Close the lid as
soon as the product is used. This will control vapors and reduce chances of
spills. Secure lids tightly.
- Use products in well-ventilated areas to avoid inhaling fumes. Work
outdoors if possible. When working indoors, open windows. Use a fan to
circulate the air toward the outside. Take plenty of fresh-air breaks. If
you feel dizzy, headachy or nauseous, take a break and go outside.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke while using hazardous products. Traces of
hazardous chemicals can be carried from hand to mouth. Smoking can start a fire
if the product is flammable.
- Do not mix products unless directions indicate that you can safely do
so. This can cause explosive or poisonous chemical reactions. Even different
brands of the same product may contain incompatible ingredients.
- Use it all up.
- If pregnant, avoid toxic chemical exposure as much as possible. Many
toxic products have not been tested for their effect on unborn infants.
- Avoid wearing soft contact lenses when working with solvents and pesticides.
They can absorb vapors and hold the chemical near your eyes.
- Carefully and tightly seal products when you have finished. Escaping
fumes can be harmful and spills can occur.
- Most important of all: Use common sense.
Store It Safely
- Follow label directions for proper storage conditions.
- Leave the product in its original container with original label attached.
- Never store hazardous products in food or beverage containers.
- Make sure lids and caps are tightly sealed.
- Store hazardous products on high shelves or in locked cabinets out of
reach of children and animals.
- Store incompatibles separately. Keep flammables away from corrosives.
- Store volatile products – those that warn of vapors and fumes – in a
well-ventilated area out of reach of children and pets.
- Keep containers dry to prevent corrosion.
- Store rags used with flammable products (furniture stripper, paint
remover, etc.) in a sealed, marked container.
- Keep flammable products away from heat, sparks or sources of anything that
could ignite them.
- Know where flammable materials in your home are located and know how to
extinguish them.
An astounding array of hazardous products can be found in and around our
homes. They are in common, everyday household products as well as in pesticides.
While we cannot eliminate all contact with toxic materials, we can minimize the
contact.
Make informed decisions about the selection, use and storage of hazardous
products.
Remember hazardous products may be flammable, explosive/reactive,
corrosive/caustic, toxic/poisonous or reactive.
Learn to read the labels. Look for the signal words. POISON means highly
toxic. DANGER means extremely flammable or corrosive or highly toxic. WARNING or
CAUTION means less toxic.
Lastly, use common sense when using and storing hazardous products to
decrease the potential health hazards and pollution.
What do you do if you or someone you’re with has an accident with any
household products?
Handout 3: What to Do in Case of an Accident
If someone splashes a household chemical in their eyes, rinse out the eyes
for 15 to 20 minutes in the shower or under a faucet. Then call your poison
control center. If you do not know that number, then call 911 or your local
emergency ambulance number.
If someone splashes a household chemical on their skin, take off the wet
clothing and rinse the skin for 15 to 20 minutes in the shower or under a
faucet. Then call your poison control center. If you do not know that number,
then call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.
If someone drinks a household chemical, give them half a glass of water to
drink. Then call the poison control center. If you do not know that number, then
call 911 or the local emergency ambulance number.
If someone is not breathing or won’t wake up, call 911 or your local
emergency ambulance number. Be prepared for any emergency in the home. Keep your
local emergency number, local ambulance number and the local poison control
center telephone numbers with you.
Russ Kennedy, Extension Health and Aging Specialist
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