Safeguard
PPE
Emergency-procedures
Logistics
DIY
Safeguard
It is the responsibility of everyone in our industry, producers and users alike, to ensure safe and appropriate behaviour when using our products. As ALIPA we are committed to encourage the safe and proper use of aliphatic isocyanates and to support our downstream users on safety matters. We want to raise awareness and increase understanding of best practice. We care that you care.
To further support this target the ALIPA member companies have developed the ALIPA Safeguard programme – consisting of information packages with recommendations and measures regarding safe handling of aliphatic isocyanates. The presentations available are focusing on safe use of aliphatic diisocyanate monomers and on safe use of aliphatic polyisocyanates in spray applications.
We want to encourage everyone to make use of the ALIPA Safeguard presentations. Feel free to use them as such or to include them – in total or partly – into your own safety training materials.
ALIPA Safeguard is designed as a versatile and adaptable programme and is subject to a continual development process. It entails a sustained and long term effort which will also help our downstream users to comply with the implications of REACH. Of course, we will be happy to take your wishes and suggestions into account for further optimization.
We look forward to collaborating with you towards our common goal: improving safety across our whole industry.
PPE
In general, the use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is obligatory when working with Monomeric Diisocyanates, Polyisocyanates or Blocked Polyisocyanates. According to the different properties of these product families, recommendations for substance specific PPEs may vary and can be found under
or in substance specific safety data sheets.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Even in the best-managed operations accidents can happen. It is therefore important to know how to deal with these eventualities, however unlikely they may be. In this chapter you will find recommendations and procedures for spillages and first aid.
LOGISTICS
The safe transport of Aliphatic Isocyanates is essential both to people and its manufacturers. All the participants in the supply chain, the manufacturers, the transportation company and the receiver of the products play vital roles in ensuring that accidents and incidents are prevented.
ALIPA is committed to the continuous increase of standards in the loading, transport, unloading and storage of aliphatic isocyanates. Our aim is to assure maximum protection of health and safety and a consistent industry wide approach.
The ALIPA Assessment scheme serves to support users of aliphatic isocyantes monomers to evaluate their bulk unloading facilities. The scheme is focused on bulk specific technical safety standards. It cannot address regulatory obligations as they apply to a particular site.
With respect to this, ALIPA and its associated members disclaim any liability in connection with the use of services rendered and of the related information provided. It is the responsibility of the user to verify the accurancy of the services and the related information.
DIY
Use of aliphatic polyisocyanates in home worker applications
Aliphatic polyisocyanates are manufactured by converting monomeric diisocyanates, e.g. HDI (hexamethylene diisocyanate) or IPDI (isophorone diisocyanate), into higher molecular weight derivatives. Aliphatic polyisocyanates are mainly used as hardeners for high quality surface coatings and adhesives in industrial and professional applications since many years. They can be handled safely, but the reactive nature of these substances requires certain precautions and controlled conditions in handling and during application.
Safety measures are specifically needed to prevent from risks resulting from irritating and sensitizing properties and include appropriate skin and eye as well as respiratory protection, especially in spray applications. Such safety measures are reported in safety data sheets and special product information. To ensure the safe use of aliphatic polyisocyanates, appropriate information, training and observance of necessary safety measures is of high importance. This, to our understanding, can only be achieved in industrial and professional use. The observance of necessary safety precautions, however, cannot be guaranteed in the home worker sector.
Therefore ALIPA strongly recommends against the use of aliphatic polyisocyanates in this area (irrespective of the content of residual monomeric diisocyanates). The members of ALIPA inform their customers by statements in all relevant safety data sheets that aliphatic polyisocyanates as well as coatings or adhesives based on aliphatic polyisocyanates should only be used for industrial and professional applications and are not suitable for the home worker sector.
Consequently, ALIPA members have excluded consumer uses from the REACH registration dossiers of aliphatic polyisocyanates.
- DIY Statement – FR version (125.46 kB)
- DIY Statement – EN version