Acetone COSHH assessment guide

Acetone cleans resin, adhesive and paint from tools and removes nail products in salons. It is highly flammable, irritates eyes, can cause drowsiness, and repeated contact dries and cracks skin.

Taken from the Acetone (over 95%) safety data sheet from Fisher Scientific UK, revision 19 October 2023. Open the data sheet. Formulas differ between products, so check against the sheet for the product you actually buy. This is a laboratory-grade sheet. Trade products sold under the same name can have a different strength and different hazards. Salon and fibreglass products often contain other ingredients.

Hazards on the data sheet

Signal word: Danger.

H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapor
H319 Causes serious eye irritation
H336 May cause drowsiness or dizziness
EUH066 Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking

Precautions

P210 Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. No smoking
P280 Wear eye protection/ face protection
P303 + P361 + P353 IF ON SKIN (or hair): Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water or shower
P304 + P340 IF INHALED: Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing
P312 Call a POISON CENTER or doctor if you feel unwell
P337 + P313 If eye irritation persists: Get medical advice/attention

Workplace exposure limit

Long-term (8-hour): 500 ppm or 1210 mg/m³. Short-term (15-minute): 1500 ppm or 3620 mg/m³. From EH40/2005 Table 1.

PPE

Eyes	Goggles (European standard - EN 166).
Hands	Protective gloves. Butyl rubber: > 480 minutes, 0.5 mm, EN 374 Level 6. Neoprene gloves: < 30 minutes, 0.45 mm.
Breathing	Certified respirators when facing concentrations above the exposure limit. Large scale/emergency: low boiling organic solvent filter Type AX Brown conforming to EN371. Small scale/laboratory: EN 149:2001 approved respirator; half mask EN405, or EN140 plus filter EN 141.
Skin	Long sleeved clothing.

First aid

Eyes	Rinse immediately with plenty of water, also under the eyelids, for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention.
Skin	Wash off immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. If skin irritation persists, call a physician.
Breathed in	Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. Get medical attention if symptoms occur.
Swallowed	Clean mouth with water and drink afterwards plenty of water.

Storage, spills and what to keep it away from

Storage	Flammables area. Keep containers tightly closed in a dry, cool and well-ventilated place. Keep away from heat, sparks and flame.
Spills	Ensure adequate ventilation. Remove all sources of ignition and take precautionary measures against static discharges. Soak up with inert absorbent material, using spark-proof tools and explosion-proof equipment. Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
Keep away from	Strong oxidizing agents. Strong reducing agents. Strong bases. Peroxides. Halogenated compounds. Alkali metals. Amines.

What your assessment still has to cover

This sheet lists butyl gloves above 480 minutes and neoprene under 30 minutes, so glove choice matters. Record the glove type, how long hands are in contact, and the ventilation at the bench or nail station.

Opening soon at £19 a month

Unlimited assessments, cancel any time. The tool isn't open yet, so there is nothing to pay today.