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jwk  
#1 Posted : 08 December 2016 16:05:36(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jwk

OK, this is a piece of string question, but I have very limited experience of this and any information would probably be helpful. We have had a creosote spill which has penetrated into the foundations of one of our offices. Staff reported symptoms of respiratory distress and eye irritation, both of which which can be caused by creosote. We (the H&S people) didn't find out about this until somebody became acutely ill; office has been evacuated and groundworks have been carried out. Environmental sampling of the air in the building has come back clear since we dug a hole out the back and carted all the stuff away. I guess my question is; would a small amount of creosote in the ground under a building be enough to cause physical symptoms, or would it take a fairly high concentration/long exposure to do so? As I say, I'm a bit in the dark here: I do know that creosote is a mix of very nasty substances, and that its use is restricted, but I don't know if it's a sufficient cause for the reported symptoms.

John

A Kurdziel  
#2 Posted : 08 December 2016 16:50:57(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

Creosote is mixture of different compounds with no standard formula, which isn’t helpful. Nevertheless there should be an SDS with particular creosote which was spilt.  If not then it’s a matter of guess work but from Wikipedia here is list of possible creosote components:

Composition of a typical coal-tar creosote

Aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylated PAHs, benzenes, toluenes, ethylbenzenes, and xylenes (BTEX)

75.0–90.0%

Tar acids / phenolics

Phenols, cresols, xylenols, and naphthols

5.0–17.0%

Tar bases / nitrogen-containing heterocycles

Pyridines, quinolines, benzoquinolines, acridines, indolines, and carbazoles

3.0–8.0%

Sulphur-containing heterocycles

Benzothiophenes

1.0–3.0%

Oxygen-containing heterocycles

Dibenzofurans

1.0–3.0%

Aromatic amines

Aniline, aminonaphthalenes, diphenyl amines, aminofluorenes, and aminophenanthrenes, cyano-PAHs, benz-acridines

0.1–1.0%

 

There are some nasty chemicals there some of which may become volatile, and could give rise to long term health issues over time. On the other hand some of the stuff just smells horrible.

Have you tried personal monitoring, so you get an idea of what individuals are exposed to?  

Different people react in different ways and it is possible that some individuals are more sensitive to the components that others.  

More I think about this the trickier this is…good luck

thanks 1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
jwk on 09/12/2016(UTC)
chris42  
#3 Posted : 08 December 2016 16:54:36(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

You used to be able to buy it to paint your garden fence ! though I thought it was illegal to make it now?

chris42  
#4 Posted : 08 December 2016 17:05:19(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

Originally Posted by: chris42 Go to Quoted Post

You used to be able to buy it to paint your garden fence ! though I thought it was illegal to make it now?

Seems I was wrong about manufacture, as trade people can still use it with restrictions.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/creosote.htm

There is some info in the questions about inhalation

thanks 1 user thanked chris42 for this useful post.
jwk on 09/12/2016(UTC)
boblewis  
#5 Posted : 08 December 2016 18:32:36(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
boblewis

As I said in the railway sleeper thread linked below - it is vile stuff with very restricted professional use only.  I presume that you have thoroughly investigated the original spill and the source of significant amounts present.  the minimum ontainer size for supply is 20 litres, if I remember rightly, and the decanting into smaller amounts is prohibited.

Digging out is the only means to correct the problem and I have known coal tips to emit significant odours 20 years after tip closure.  Many of the compounds have a low threshold of smell even below any harmful level. 

thanks 1 user thanked boblewis for this useful post.
jwk on 09/12/2016(UTC)
jwk  
#6 Posted : 09 December 2016 16:00:13(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jwk

Thanks all, very helpful replies, clarified my thinking no end,

John

peter gotch  
#7 Posted : 03 August 2022 10:23:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

REPORTED.

Three posts, three hidden links.

Thanks to RVT for highlighting the previous posts.

P

thanks 2 users thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
RVThompson on 03/08/2022(UTC), Roundtuit on 03/08/2022(UTC)
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