Monday, June 8, 2009

Stupid warning labels... one of the reasons I hate lawyers

I copied these warning labels from a bottle of sand (the stuff you roll around in at the beach) and a bottle of salt (same stuff that's in the salt shaker on your table) sold by a chemical supply company. Obviously this is all CYA jargon thought up by a paranoid lawyer. But this is harmful. When even completely innocuous products are plastered with dire warnings, we become desensitized to warning labels, and tend to ignore them even when something really is dangerous. I blame it on lawyers.

Sea Sand
WASHED

CAUTION! MAY BE HARMFUL IF INHALED. MAY CAUSE IRRITATION. INHALATION MAY PRODUCE IRRITATION, COUGHING AND ACUTE PNEUMOCONIOSIS FROM OVERWHELMING EXPOSURE TO SILICA DUST. MAY CAUSE A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING PULMONARY INSUFFICIENCY, LABORED BREATHING, TACHYPNEA AND CYANOSIS FOLLOWED BY COR PULMONALE AND A SHORT SURVIVAL TIME. MORE FREQUENTLY, AFTER 10-25 YEARS EXPOSURE, LABORED BREATHING, DRY COUGH, CHEST PAIN, DECREASED VITAL CAPACITY, AND DIMINISHED CHEST EXPANSION MAY OCCUR AND PROGRESS TO MARKED FATIUE, EXTREME LABORED BREATHING AND CYANOSIS, ANROREXIA, COUGH WITH STRINGMY MUCOUS, PLEAURATIC PAIN AND INCAPACITY TO WORK. DEATH MAY RESULT FROM CARDIAC FAILURE OR DESTRUCTION OF LUNG TISSUE WITH RESULTANT ANOREXIA. HAS CAUSED TUMORIGENCI EFFECTS IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. SKIN CONTACT MAY CAUSE IRRITATION AND DERMATITIS. EYE CONTACT MAY CAUSE REDNESS, IRRITATION, AND CONJUNCTIVITIS.
TARGET ORGANS AFFECTED: Eyes, Skin and Mucous Membranes. Provide local exhaust ventilation and/or general dilution ventilation to meet published limits, or use of recommended NIOSH respirators listed in Material Safety Data Sheet.
FIRST AID - INHALATION - Remove from exposure area to fresh air immediately. If breathing has stopped, perform artificial respiration. Keep person warm and at rest. Get medical attention immediately. SKIN - Remove contaminated clothing and shoes immediately. Wash affected area with soap or mild detergent and large amounts of water (approximately 15-20 minutes). Get medical attention. EYES - Wash eyes immediately with large amounts of water, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids (approximately 15-20 minutes). Get medical attention.


Sodium Chloride
CERTIFIED A.C.S. CRYSTAL

CAUTION! MAY CAUSE IRRITATION. INGESTION OF LARGE AMOUNTS MAY CAUSE SYSTEMIC TOXICITY.
TARGET ORGANS:
None
FIRST AID - EYES - Flush eyes with plenty of water, occasionally lifting the upper and lower lids. Get medical aid. SKIN - Flush skin with plenty of soap and water. Get medical aid if irritation persists. INHALATION - Remove from exposure and move to fresh air immediately. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical aid immediately. INGESTION - Give 2-4 cupfuls of milk or water, then induce vomiting by giving syrup of Ipecac. Get medical aid.
PRECAUTIONS: Use with adequate ventilation. Keep container closed. In case of spill, sweep up, then place into a suitable container for disposal.