Handling chemicals

Chemicals 

Awareness

The World of 

Chemicals 

• Universe of Chemicals > 

5 Million 

• Industrial Inventories ~ 

55,000 

• Regulated 

Occupationally ~ 600 

2

Toxicology 

Poisons - the adverse effects (efek merugikan) of 

substances on living systems. 

“All substances are poisons; There is none 

which is not a poison. The right dose 

differentiates a poison from a remedy…” 

– Paracelsus (1493-1541) 

Chemical Toxicology – The potential adverse effects and 

control of chemicals in the workplace. 

3

Toxicants 

Toxins 

Poisons 

• Substances that produce adverse 

biological effects of any nature 

• May be chemical or physical in nature 

• Effects may be of various types (acute, 

chronic, etc.) 

• Specific proteins produced by living 

organisms 

(Mushroom toxin or tetanus toxin) 

• Most exhibit immediate effects 

Toxicants that cause immediate 

death or illness when experienced in 

very small amounts 

4

Basic Concepts 

• Toxicity – capacity to cause injury 

• Hazard – potential harm associated 

with a specific substance under 

potential exposure conditions 

• Risk – the likelihood or chance that 

harm will occur under actual 

conditions 

(Toxicity) X (Exposure) = Risk 

5

Basic Concepts 

• All chemicals have the capacity to 

be toxic 

• All chemicals act in the body 

according to the principles of 

chemistry, physics and biology 

• Natural chemicals are not inherently 

harmless 

• Synthetic chemicals are not 

inherently hazardous 

• The dose make the poison 

6

The Dose Makes the Poison 

Chemical Beneficial Dose Toxic Dose 

Aspirin 300-1000 mg 1000-30,000mg 

Vitamin A 500 units/d 50,000 units/d 

Oxygen 20% in air 50-100% in air 

7

Lethal Dose 

Agent LD 50 (mg/kg) 

Ethyl Alcohol 7060 

Sodium Chloride 3000 

Naphthalene 1760 

Ferrous Sulfate 1500 

Aspirin 1000 

Formaldehyde 800 

Ammonia 350 

Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide 350 

Caffeine 192 

Phenobarbital 150 

Chlorpheniramine Maleate 118 

DDT 100 

Strychnine Sulfate 2 

Nicotine 1 

Dioxin 0.0001 

Botulinus Toxin 0.00001 

8

There are no harmless 

substances. 

Only harmless ways of 

using substances. 

9

Routes of Chemicals 

Inhalation* 

Absorption 

Ingestion 

Injection 

*Most important 

route of entry 

Exposure 

Breathing Zone 

10 

Eyes

• How can you know that a 

chemical is toxic or hazardous? 

• How can you handle 

chemicals? 

• Is a chemical harmful? 

• How can we identify chemicals? 

MSDS 

HARM SYMBOOLS

Sumber : MSDS, Soemanto, Puslitbang LIPI (2000)

NO 

RANKING DAN SIMBOL BAHAYA BAHAN KIMIA 

MENURUT NEPA-USA 

BAHAYA KESEHATAN 

(HEALTH) 

4 Penyebab kematian, 

cedera fatal, meskipun 

ada pertolongan 

3 Berakibat serius pada 

keterpaan singkat, 

meskipun ada 

pertolongan 

2 Keterpaan intensif dan 

terus menerus berakibat 

serius, kecuali ada 

pertolongan 

1 Penyebab iritasi atau 

cedera ringan 

0 Tidak berbahaya 

terhadap kesehatan 

meskipun kena panas 

(api) 

Simbol 

bahaya 

Natrium 

BAHAYA 

KEBAKARAN (FIRE) 

Segera menguap dalam 

keadaan normal dan 

dapat terbakar secara 

cepat 

Cair atau padat, dapat 

dinyalakan pada suhu 

biasa 

Perlu sedikit pemanasan 

sebelum bahan dapat 

terbakar 

Dapat dibakar, tetapi 

memerlukan pemanasan 

lebih dulu 

Bahan tidak dapat 

dibakar sama sekali 

3 

1 

W 

2 

BAHAYA 

REAKTIVITAS 

(REACTIVITY) 

Mudah meledak atau 

diledakkan, sensitif 

terhadap panas dan 

mekanik 

Mudah meledak tetapi 

memerlukan penyebab 

panas dan tumbukan 

kuat 

Tidak stabil, bereaksi 

hebat, tapi tidak 

meledak 

Stabil pada suhu 

normal. Tetapi tidak 

stabil pada suhu tinggi 

Stabil, tidak reaktif 

meskipun kena panas 

atau suhu tinggi 

W 

Jangan 

disiram 

dengan air



















Chemicals awareness 

1. Solid 

Chemicals 

Solid Liquids Gas 

a. Unhygroscopic solid, and can not 

menyublim, example : amylum, sodium 

carbonate 

b. Hygroscopic solid, exp: NaOH, KSCN 

c. Vapourable solid 

exp: Iodium, Ammonium carbonate, 

Kamper (naftalen)

d. Light sensitive solid: exp: AgNO 3, KMnO 4 

e. Water sensitive solid, exp: Na, K. 

f. Oxygen/air sensitive solid,Exp: phosphorous 

2. LIQUID 

a. Liquid/Normal, exp: aquadest, 

b. Vapourable liquid, exp: ammonia, ether, HCl, 

acetone, chloroform 

c. Liquid that easy to bind water vapour, 

Exp: Sulphuric acid 

a. Flamable liquid, exp: ether, methanol, 

aceton, gasoline, kerosine

Hygroscopic solid: placed 

into covered bottled, wrapt with 

plastic 

vapourable solid: place into glass 

bottle or plastic, rest a ¼ of space 

for air.

light sensitive solid: placed into dark 

bottle or tak tembus cahaya,cover it 

tightly 

water sensitive solid: 

immersed into kerosine 

oxygen/air sensitive solid: place and 

immesed in water 

do not place a solid mixtures as 

oxidators, catalist and substance that 

easy to burn 

exp: KClO 3, MnO 2, sucrose

. Liquid 

placed in closely pack bottle 

spare the space a ¼ part of the bottle for liquid 

vapour 

the flamable liquid have to keep away from fire 

for oxidator liquids, place into fumehood 

Use the suitable SPA if you want to take 

harmful liquids 

• Do not put the harmful liquids in the up side of 

rack

Handle chemicals 

Toxic vapourable 

chemicals should 

be placed in 

fumehood 

Use fumehood if 

you work with 

hazardous 

chemicals

c. Gas 

Place the gas vessel safely 

use kran with spuyer that have to 

maintain periodically 

place in cold room (if it is possible) 

keep away from heat 

or fire 

keep the vessel safe 

(make not easy to fall) 

He

Work Laboratory Instruction 

1. Identify 5 chemicals in the front desk. 

2. Find the MSDS of its in MSDS Book. 

3. Report your work into journal 

Chemicals Formula Structure Harm 

symbols 

Handling

Handling chemicals

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