Aerosol Cleaner Use in Auto Repair
Overexposure to solvent-based aerosol (spray can) cleaners affects the nervous system
(the brain), causing nausea, dizziness, clumsiness, drowsiness, and other effects like those of being drunk.
Overexposure for months or years can cause long-lasting and possibly permanent damage to the nervous
system. The symptoms of long-term effects include fatigue, sleeplessness, poor coordination, difficulty in
concentrating, loss of short-term memory, and personality changes such as depression, anxiety, and irritability.
Solvents in aerosol automotive cleaners can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. Skin contact can cause skin
rash (dermatitis). Some solvents can also cause chronic health effects such as damage to the nerves in the feet,
legs, hands, and arms, damage to the reproductive system, birth defects, and cancer. Use the safer aerosol
cleaners described in this fact sheet to help protect your health and the environment.
How to know if you are How aerosol automotive
working with solvent-based cleaners are used
aerosol cleaners Aerosol automotive cleaners are used as...
brake cleaners
Solvents are used to dissolve grease. Aerosol and
non-aerosol automotive cleaners can contain solvents. carburetor or fuel-injection air intake cleaners
If you think the cleaner you are using contains solvents,
engine degreasers
ask to see the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The
general purpose degreasers
MSDS must identify the solvent in Section 2 by the
Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) number. Under
Cal/OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (see page 4),
your employer must tell you if you are using an aerosol
Some aerosol automotive cleaning
cleaner that contains hazardous solvents, and must train
you to use the cleaner safely.
products that contain solvents
?CRC Brakleen Brake Parts Cleaner
Solvents frequently found in ?CRC Clean R CarbTM Carb Cleaner
automotive aerosol cleaners ?Radiator Speciality Company Non-Chlorinated Brake
Cleaner
Solvent CAS #
?Johnsens Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner
Acetone 67-64-1 ?Radiator Speciality Carb Clean, Environmentally
Toluene 108-88-3 Responsible
Xylene 1330-20-7
?Non-Chlorinated Brake & Parts Cleaner
Methanol 67-56-1
?Permatex, Inc. Pro-Strength Brake & Parts Cleaner
Heptane 142-82-5
?Brake-Clean Earth Friendly Brake Parts Cleaner
Ethylbenzene 100-41-4
?Moc Throttle Body & Air Intake Cleaner
Solvents can vary and most products contain more than
?Moc Brake Wash
one solvent. Check Section 2 of your current MSDSs.
?3MTM Throttle Plate & Carb Cleaner
These are examples of products with solvents listed on the
MSDSs. Most automotive aerosol cleaners contain solvents.
FACT This is not a complete list. Be sure to check the MSDS for the
ingredients of the aerosol cleaner you are using.
SHEET
HESIS
HAZARD EVALUATION SYSTEM & INFORMATION SERVICE
California Department of Health Services
Occupational Health Branch
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612
510-622-4300 ?www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb
California Department of Health Services ?California Department of Industrial Relations
DECEMBER 2004
How you are exposed to Skin. The solvents in aerosol products can dissolve your
skin's natural protective oils. Frequent or prolonged
contact can cause irritation and dermatitis (skin rash),
solvent-based aerosol cleaners with dryness, redness, flaking, and cracking of the
skin璦llowing solvents to easily enter your body.
Solvents in aerosol cleaners enter your body when you
breathe vapors of the solvents or droplets of spray in Eyes, Nose, Throat and Lungs. Solvent vapors from
the air. Some solvents, like toluene, methanol, 1-bromo- aerosol cleaners can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and
propane (1-BP), and n-methyl pyrollidone, can enter your lungs. Symptoms include stinging or burning of the eyes,
body when they touch your skin. burning or soreness of the nose and throat, hoarseness,
coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Your risk of health effects depends on which solvents are
in the aerosol cleaner and the amount of the solvent
Liver and Kidneys. Most solvents rarely cause liver or
that enters your body. The amount (the concentration)
kidney damage if exposures are kept near workplace
of the solvent in the air and how long you are exposed
limits and there are no noticeable effects on the nervous
determines how much enters your body.
system. However, long-term exposure to solvent-based
aerosols and drinking alcohol can increase your risk of
How solvent-based aerosol liver damage.
A new solvent, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (or D5),
cleaners can affect your health contained in some non-aerosol automotive cleaners,
caused liver damage when test animals were exposed to
Central Nervous System (Brain). Solvents in low levels in the air. The effects of D5 on human health
aerosol cleaners can affect your brain the same way are not known.
drinking alcohol does. Overexposure for a short time
causes headache, nausea, dizziness, clumsiness,
Cancer. Some aerosol cleaners contain solvents like
drowsiness and other effects like those of being drunk.
ethylbenzene that cause cancer in animals. Methylene
Drinking alcohol within a few hours of exposure
chloride, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene cause
increases these effects and makes them last longer,
cancer in animals; their use in automotive consumer
because the effects of alcohol and solvents add together.
products is prohibited in California (see www.arb.ca.gov/
The symptoms of short-term exposure usually clear up
regact/amr/finreg.pdf).
within hours after exposure stops.
D5 and 1-BP are being tested
for cancer. Solvents that cause
These short-term effects on your health occur more
cancer in animals can also
quickly and become more noticeable and serious as
cause cancer in humans. Avoid
the amount of solvent and the time you're exposed
exposure to products contain-
increases. These effects can increase your chances of
ing solvents that cause cancer
being injured.
whenever possible, or keep
Repeated, frequent overexposure to solvents in aerosol exposures to a minimum.
cleaners over months or years can have long-lasting
and possibly permanent effects on the nervous system.
Pregnancy and Reproduction. Solvents in aerosol
The symptoms of these long-term effects include
cleaners can reach the developing fetus when inhaled by
fatigue, sleeplessness, poor coordination, difficulty
pregnant workers; solvents can also contaminate breast
in concentrating, loss of short-term memory, and
milk. Therefore, pregnant or breastfeeding women
personality changes such as depression, anxiety,
should minimize their exposure to solvents in aerosol
and irritability.
cleaners.
Some solvents cause specific toxic effects on the
Peripheral Nervous System. Overexposure to
developing fetus and on reproduction. Low-level
cleaners containing n-hexane (see www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/
exposure to some glycol ether solvents causes birth
HESIS/nhexane/pdf) can damage the nerves in the feet,
defects in test animals. 1-BP and n-methyl pyrrolidone
legs, hands, and arms. The damage can last a long time
harm the developing fetus when animals are exposed
and may become permanent. The symptoms include
during pregnancy. The effects of these solvents on
numbness, tingling, weakness (sometimes even paralysis),
human pregnancy have not been studied.
and reduced ability to feel touch, pain, vibration, and
temperature.
Certain glycol ether solvents damaged the testicles of
test animals, and reduced the sperm counts in studies
A new solvent, 1-bromopropane (1-BP) or n-propyl
of exposed men. 1-BP caused sterility in both male
bromide (see www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/HESIS/bpropane/pdf)
and female test animals. Effects of 1-BP on human
can also damage the nerves, causing weakness, pain,
reproduction have not been studied.
numbness, and paralysis.
2
Are there any tests for health Avoid using products for which you do not have
MSDSs and information on health hazards.
Get MSDSs for all aerosol cleaning products; make
effects and exposure? sure you understand the health hazard information.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as memory loss,
Use less, if you must use solvent-based cleaners.
confusion, and mood changes and have been exposed to
solvents in aerosol cleaners for a long time, ask your Store rags soaked with solvent-based aerosol
doctor about neuropsychological testing. cleaners safely.
A neurologist or a doctor who specializes in occupational Use self-closing, hinged metal containers to prevent
medicine can test whether the nerves in your feet, legs, hazards caused by evaporating solvents.
hands, and arms have been damaged by solvents such as
n-hexane and 1-BP. The simplest way is to test nerve Make sure there is good ventilation if you use
conduction velocity (how fast a nerve carries a message). solvent-based cleaners.
Complete physical examinations at the beginning of Local exhaust ventilation is most effective, but may
employment that include medical and work histories and not be feasible in many shops. It captures solvent
periodic follow-up examinations are recommended. vapors at the source before workers breathe them.
There are tests that can determine the amount of some General ventilation, using a fan-powered system to
solvents (like toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) in bring fresh air into the work area, is the next best
your body. However, these tests are not generally way to ventilate shops. Current American Society of
recommended or required. Their usefulness depends on Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning
how each solvent is eliminated from the body. These Engineers recommendations are 150 cfm of fresh air
tests can be difficult to conduct and interpret for for every 150 square feet of an auto repair room.
mixtures of solvents, which often are present in aerosol
Open doors and windows usually provide unreliable
automotive cleaners.
ventilation.
Reducing Indoor fans that blow contaminated air around
without removing it from your work area are not
effective.
exposure to
solvent-based Use respirators only if ventilation and other
control methods are not effective and feasible.
aerosol cleaners A "dust mask" does not remove solvent vapors from
the air and will not protect you..
By law, employers must provide a safe and healthy
workplace. Here are some ways employers and A half-face respirator with organic vapor cartridge
employees can work together to reduce exposure to can reduce exposure to solvents in aerosol cleaners.
solvent-based aerosol cleaners. Employers must comply with the Cal/OSHA Respir-
atory Protection Standard [Title 8, California Code
of Regulations (CCR), Section 5144]. Requirements
Substitute safer cleaning products whenever
include making sure respirators fit properly and that
possible. Consult suppliers and see "Resources"
you are medically fit to wear a respirator. See
on page 4.
www.dir.ca.gov/title8/5144.html.
Clean brakes with water-based aerosol cleaners and
non-aerosol water-based cleaning systems.
Protect your skin from contact with aerosol
cleaning products.
Clean carburetor or fuel-injection intakes with
aerosol cleaners formulated with soy and acetone.
Wear protective gloves, such as nitrile, when using
all aerosol automotive cleaners. Thin, low-cost,
Degrease engines with water-based aerosol cleaners.
disposable nitrile gloves are available.
Use water-based aerosol cleaners or aerosol cleaners
Check manufacturers' specifications to make sure
formulated with soy and acetone for general
gloves resist penetration by the mixture of solvents
purpose cleaning.
in the aerosol cleaner you use. Inspect and replace
Use aerosol products with less toxic solvents such as
gloves often to prevent leaks.
acetone, heptane, and isopropyl alcohol instead of
Be aware of products containing solvents such as
solvents that cause cancer and other chronic health
n-methyl pyrrolidone and 1-BP that can penetrate
damage.
intact skin.
Continues on page 4...
3
Continued from page 3...
Do not use latex gloves when working with solvent- Employers are
based cleaners. They are not protective. They also required to supply
can cause allergic skin rash and wheezing, shortness gloves or any other
of breath, coughing, and other symptoms of asthma. necessary protective
equipment under
Use chemical protective clothing such as aprons or
California regulation
sleeves if skin contact occurs at areas other than
[Title 8, CCR, Sections
your hands.
3383 and 3384].
RESOURCES
Where to get help Regulations that help protect
workers
HESIS answers questions about chemicals and other
workplace hazards and has many free publications.
Legal Exposure limits. The Cal/OSHA Standards
For information on workplace hazards: Board sets Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for
(510) 622-4317. the amounts of solvents and other chemicals in
workplace air. PELs are intended to protect the
For HESIS Publications: (510) 622-4138.
health of most workers who are exposed every day
See www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb.
over a working lifetime [Title 8, CCR, Section 5155].
See www.dir.ca.gov/title8/5155.html.
Institute for Research and Technical
Assistance (IRTA) has information on safe
Hazard Communication Standard. Under
alternatives for solvent-based cleaners.
Title 8, CCR, Section 5194, your employer must tell
(818) 244-0300.
you if any hazardous substances are used in your
work area, must train you to use them safely, and
California Division of Occupational Safety
must make MSDSs available. See www.dir.ca.gov/
and Health (Cal/OSHA) investigates workers'
title8/5194.html.
complaints and makes enforcement inspections.
Complainants' identities are kept confidential.
Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
Call the nearest Cal/OSHA district office to your
Under Title 8, CCR, Section 3203, every employer
workplace or see
must have an effective, written Injury and Illness
www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/districtoffices.htm.
Prevention Program (IIPP) that includes: (1) methods
for identifying and quickly correcting workplace
Other resources for employees may include
hazards; (2) health and safety training; (3) a system
your supervisor, your union, your company health
for communicating clearly with all employees about
and safety officer, your doctor, or your company
health and safety matters and (4) record-keeping.
doctor.
See www.dir.ca.gov/title8/3203.html.
Cal/OSHA Consultation Service helps employers
who want free, non-enforcement help to evaluate
the workplace and improve the health and safety
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor
conditions. Employers can call (800) 963-9424.
State of California
Kimberly Belsh? Secretary
Occupational health services can be found at:
Health and Human Services Agency
University of California (UC) San Francisco:
Victoria L. Bradshaw, Secretary
(415) 885-7580
Labor and Workforce Development Agency
UC Davis: (530) 754-7635 Sandra Shewry, Director
Department of Health Services
UC Irvine: (949) 824-8641
John Rea, Acting Director
UC San Diego: (619) 471-9210
Department of Industrial Relations
4 JANE NORLING DESIGN
OSP 05 88032
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