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The Hazards of Flammable Liquids

Flammable liquids present a fire hazard because they tend to ignite and burn quite easily. This ability to easily catch fire is not from the liquids themselves, but from combustible vapors. Examples of flammable liquids include common materials like waxes, paints, fuels, cleaners, thinners and solvents.

  1. Fire Hazard

    • Flammable liquids have flash points, which is the lowest temperature at which a flammable liquid will give off enough vapor to ignite. Various flammable liquids have different flash points. For example, gasoline is a flammable liquid with a flash point of minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit. All flammable liquids have low flash points. This is a hazard which can lead to fires or explosions that may burn the body and destroy property.

    Inhalation Hazards

    • Inhalation of the fumes from flammable liquids can adversely affect the health in several ways. The fumes can cause irritation to respiratory passages like the nose and lungs. Inhalation of flammable liquid fumes can lead to headaches and nausea, disorientation, lack of coordination, and unconsciousness. An example is isopropanol alcohol, a colorless liquid with a strong odor that causes coordination problems, irritation of the respiratory tract and nausea. Isopropanol alcohol is also a mild central nervous system depressant.

    Skin Hazards

    • Some flammable liquids are corrosive, meaning that they will cause damage to skin tissue if they come into contact with it. An example of such a chemical is chloromethyl dimethyl chlorosilane, a clear to yellowish liquid with a very strong odor. This liquid is highly flammable, with a flash point of minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit. It causes severe burns to the skin and inhalation of the vapors causes suffocation and dizziness. Some flammable liquids, like methylpiperazine, not only causes skin burns, but can also cause further damage when absorbed into the body through the skin.

    Eye and Ingestion Hazards

    • Flammable liquids pose hazard threats to the eyes. This can either occur through accidental splashes, aerosol droplets in the air, or through vapor fumes. The effects of flammable liquids on the eye include burning, irritation, and eye damage. If flammable liquids are ingested, they may cause poisoning or burning of the digestive tract and other organs in the body. Isopropyl acetate causes abdominal pain and dizziness when it is ingested. Other risks associated with swallowing this liquid are lung aspiration and chemical pneumonitis.

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