Organic Solvents

What are the hazards associated with organic solvents?

Because organic solvents are carbon-based, many of them are highly flammable. In addition, several solvents have been determined to be health hazards including, but not limited to, carcinogens (e.g., benzene, formaldehyde), reproductive hazards (e.g., 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-butoxyethanol) and neurotoxins (e.g., n-hexane, chloroform, methylene chloride). Other health hazards associated with the use of organic solvents include dermatitis.

What can I do to protect myself?

Review the safety data sheet for any organic solvent chosen to become familiar with its physical and health hazards. Use organic solvents only with adequate ventilation and away from any ignition sources. Be sure to use appropriate personal protective equipment, especially gloves, when transferring organic solvents from one container to another.

What resources are available to assist employers?

Safety and Health Programs

These example programs, hazard communication, respiratory protection, hazardous chemical program, chemical hygiene plan, HAZWOPER program (General Industry and Construction) and PPE and hazard analysis can assist the employer in the development of their programs.

Training and Outreach Services

The presentations on hazard communication, respiratory protection and personal protective equipment are available to assist employers in training their staff. Each of these presentations should be modified to address site-specific conditions and hazards. These pre-recorded webinars on hazard communication, respiratory protection and toxic and hazardous substances can also be accessed at any time.

Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (streaming video services) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC). 

Safety and Health Topics

The safety and health topics page on 1-bromopropane,  dipping and coating,  flammable liquids, hazard communication, hierarchy of controls, laboratory safety, personal protective equipment, hazardous waste operations and emergency response, medical services and first aid and respiratory protection can provide additional resource information. 

Consultation Services

The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.

Which standards apply?

OSH has adopted the following standards which are applicable to organic solvents in North Carolina. Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic. 

General Industry

• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart H - hazardous materials
  • 29 CFR 1910.94 - ventilation
  • 29 CFR 1910.106 - flammable liquids
  • 29 CFR 1910.107 - spray finishing using flammable and combustible materials
  • 29 CFR 1910.119 - process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals
  • 29 CFR 1910.124 - general requirements for dipping and coating operations
  • 29 CFR 1910.125 - additional requirements for dipping and coating operations that use flammable liquids or liquids with flashpoints greater than 199.4 deg F (93 deg C)
  • 29 CFR 1910.126 - additional requirements for special dipping and coating operations
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I - personal protective equipment
  • 29 CFR 1910.132 - general requirements
  • 29 CFR 1910.133 - eye and face protection
  • 29 CFR 1910.134 - respiratory protection
  • 29 CFR 1910.138 - hand protection
• 29 CFR 1910 Subpart Z - toxic and hazardous substances
  • 29 CFR 1910.1000 - air contaminants
    • 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-1 - limits for air contaminants
    • 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2
  • 29 CFR 1910.1028 - benzene
  • 29 CFR 1910.1052 - methylene chloride
  • 29 CFR 1910.1200 - hazard communication
  • 29 CFR 1910.1450 - occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories

Maritime, Shipyard Employment

• 29 CFR 1915 Subpart C - surface preparation and preservation
  • 29 CFR 1915.32 - toxic cleaning solvents
  • 29 CFR 1915.33 - chemical paint and preservative removers
  • 29 CFR 1915.36 - flammable liquids
• 29 CFR 1915 Subpart I - personal protective equipment
  • 29 CFR 1915.152 - general requirements
  • 29 CFR 1915.153 - eye and face protection
  • 29 CFR 1915.154 - respiratory protection
  • 29 CFR 1915.157 - hand and body protection
• 29 CFR 1915 Subpart Z - toxic and hazardous substances
  • 29 CFR 1915.1028 - benzene
  • 29 CFR 1915.1052 - methylene chloride

Construction

• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart D - Authority for 1926 Subpart D
  • 29 CFR 1926.55 - gases, vapors, fumes, dusts and mists
    • 29 CFR 1926.55 Appendix A - gases,  vapors, fumes, dusts and mists
  • 29 CFR 1926.59 - hazard communication
  • 29 CFR 1926.64 - process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals
• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E - personal protective and life saving equipment
  • 29 CFR 1926.102 - eye and face protection
  • 29 CFR 1926.103 - respiratory protection
• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart F - fire protection and prevention
  • 29 CFR 1926.152 - flammable liquids
• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart Z - toxic and hazardous substances
  • 29 CFR 1926.1128 - benzene
  • 29 CFR 1926.1152 - methylene chloride

Other standards associated with employee exposure to organic solvents include:

General Industry

• 29 CFR 1910.120 - hazardous waste operations and emergency response
• 29 CFR 1910.1020 - access to employee exposure and medical records

Construction

• 29 CFR 1926.65 - hazardous waste operations and emergency response

Other Applicable Standards

The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to your worksite.

Where can I learn more?

Industry Guides

• Industry Guide 48 - OSHA Construction Industry Standards Requiring Program, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training, provides requirements for standards related to organic solvents in construction.
• Industry Guide 49 - OSHA General Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training, includes requirements for standards related to organic solvents in general industry
• Industry Guide 53 - OSHA Shipyard Employment Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training, highlights the requirements of standards related to organic solvents in shipyard employment.

Compliance Documents

The following compliance directives establish the enforcement policy and provide an explanation of the standards with which they are associated:

• CPL 02-02-045 - 29 CFR 1910.119, process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals - compliance guidelines and enforcement procedures, provides compliance guidelines and enforcement procedures for process safety management.
• CPL 02-02-070 - inspection procedures for occupational exposure to methylene chloride, establishes policies and provides clarification to ensure uniform inspection procedures are followed when conducting inspections to enforce the Methylene Chloride Standard.
• CPL 02-02-073 - inspection procedures for 29 CFR 1910.120 & 1926.65, paragraph (q): emergency response to hazardous substances releases, updates policies and provides clarification to ensure uniform enforcement of paragraph (q) of the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER), 29 CFR 1910.120 and 1926.65, which covers emergency response operations for releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances without regard to the location of the hazard.
• CPL 02-02-079 - inspection procedures for the hazard communication standard (HCS 2012), applies to enforcement procedures related to the requirements of the hazard communication standard.
• CPL 03-00-021 - process safety management (PSM) covered facilities, describes a National Emphasis Program for inspecting all facilities with highly hazardous chemicals in amounts at or above the threshold quantities listed in 29 CFR 1910.119 - process safety management of highly hazardous materials.
• Field Operations Manual (FOM) Chapter XV - Industrial Hygiene Compliance provides guidance on industrial hygiene procedures. 

Technical Assistance

Inquiries about workplace safety and health requirements can be submitted to Ask OSH through the online form, by email to ask.osh@labor.nc.gov, or by phone at 919-707-7876.