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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Methylene Chloride (dichloromethane)

NIOSH Resources

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149
Exposure limits, Respirator Recommendations, First Aid, more...
The Pocket Guide is a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes found in the work environment. Key data provided for each chemical/substance includes name (including synonyms/trade names), structure/formula, CAS/RTECS Numbers, DOT ID, conversion factors, exposure limits, IDLH, chemical and physical properties, measurement methods, personal protection, respirator recommendations, symptoms, and first aid.

International Chemical Safety Cards
An ICSC summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.

Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
The IDLH documents the criteria and information sources that have been used by NIOSH to determine immediately dangerous to life or health concentrations.

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM)
NMAM is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed.

  • Methylene Chloride (No. 1005) PDF Icon PDF only 28 KB (4 pages)
  • Methylene Chloride (No. 3800) PDF Icon PDF only 832 KB (47 pages)
  • Volatile Organic CPDS (Screening) (No. 2549) PDF Icon PDF only 93 kb (8 pages)

Questions and Answers — Methylene Chloride Control in Furniture Stripping
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 93-133 (September 1997)  
Contains information about methylene chloride specific to the furniture stripping industry, including engineering and exposure controls.

Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 46 Methylene Chloride
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-114 (April 1986)  
Contains a standard for mitigation of exposure to methylene chloride to prevent adverse effects over a working lifetime.

Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 48: Organic Solvent Neurotoxicity
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 87-104 (March 1987)  
NIOSH estimates that 9.8 million workers are potentially exposed to organic solvents used in such products as paints, adhesives, glues, coatings, and degreasing/cleaning agents, and in the production of dyes, polymers, plastics, textiles, printing inks, agricultural products, and pharmaceuticals.

NIOSH Criteria Documents: Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Methylene Chloride
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 76-138 (March 1976)  
Contains a standard for mitigation of exposure to methylene chloride to prevent adverse effects over a working lifetime.

Related Resources

ATSDR's Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs)-Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg14.html

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) - ToxFAQs™: Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts14.html

Toxicological Profile for Methylene Chloride (ATSDR)
External Link: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp14.html

OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/methylenechloride/

OSHA Hazard Recognition - Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/methylenechloride/recognition.html

New Jersey Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets - Methylene Chloride
PDF Icon PDF only 34 KB (6 pages)
External Link: http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1254.pdf

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) - Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/methylene/

Risk Assessment Information System (RAIS): Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://rais.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/methylch.shtml

Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) (EPA): Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/aegl/pubs/rest146.htm

EPA (Air Toxics): Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0070.htm

Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS): Methylene Chloride
External Link: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/methylen.html

IARC Monographs (Vol. 71): Dichloromethane
PDF Icon PDF only 111 KB (171 pages)
External Link: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol71/volume71.pdf

NTP (Substance Profiles): Methylene Chloride
PDF Icon PDF only 210 KB (2 pages)
External Link: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s066dich.pdf

Toxnet
A search engine accessing several databases provided by the National Library of Medicine.
External Link: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov


Page last updated: August 22, 2008
Page last reviewed: July 28, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Information Division

Methylene Chloride

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