Floor Stripper: Flash Point 65°C and a Corrosion Pictogram
A contract cleaning company is assessing a new floor stripper before using it in a grocery store. The supplier's technical bulletin gives a closed-cup flash point of 65°C and states that the product causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage in animal tests. It has no acute inhalation toxicity below the classification cut-off and is not a skin sensitizer. The supplier label shows a corrosion pictogram, the signal word Danger, and the statement 'Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.' A supervisor asks why there is no flame pictogram, since the product has a flash point and the storeroom also holds paper products. A worker who splashed the stripper on a forearm rinsed it with water for 10 seconds, then developed blistering and pain. The workplace has no eyewash station within 30 metres of the mixing area.
1. Classify the flammability of the product and decide whether the flame pictogram is required.
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The product is a flammable liquid, but not every flammable liquid gets the flame pictogram. With a closed-cup flash point of 65°C, it falls into Flammable Liquid Category 4, because Category 4 covers a flash point greater than 60°C and not more than 93°C. In WHMIS 2015, Category 4 does not require a hazard pictogram and uses the signal word Warning. The flame pictogram is required for Categories 1, 2, and 3, not Category 4. The supervisor is therefore wrong to expect a flame simply because a flash point exists. The label must still describe the flammability hazard in the hazard statement and give appropriate precautionary advice, such as keeping it away from heat and ignition sources. Because the product also causes severe skin burns, the overall signal word is Danger, but that does not add a flame pictogram.
2. What pictograms and signal word should appear on the supplier label, and why is the corrosion pictogram correct?
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The corrosion pictogram is correct because the product causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage, which are Skin Corrosion Category 1 and Serious Eye Damage Category 1 hazards. Those hazards require the corrosion pictogram and the signal word Danger. The label should also carry the hazard statements for skin corrosion and serious eye damage, plus the applicable precautionary statements for protective equipment, first aid, and storage. The exclamation mark is not the right symbol for severe burns or serious eye damage; it is used for lower-hazard irritation categories. No skull and crossbones is needed because the product is not classified for acute toxicity at the stated exposure cut-off. The label as described is adequate on pictogram and signal word, provided the hazard and precautionary statements are complete.
3. Evaluate the first aid response and the eyewash station placement.
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Rinsing for 10 seconds is inadequate for a corrosive product. The SDS and label should direct immediate flushing with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, removal of contaminated clothing, and medical attention; many corrosive products require continued rinsing during transport or until medical advice is obtained. Blistering and pain after a short rinse are consistent with a serious chemical burn and should be assessed medically. The employer must also provide emergency equipment that is immediately accessible. An eyewash station 30 metres away, especially if doors or obstacles intervene, is likely too far for a serious eye exposure. The employer should relocate or install an eyewash and emergency shower appropriate to the hazard, verify that workers know how to use them, and update the workplace procedures and training.