White spirit COSHH assessment guide

Decorators and maintenance teams use white spirit to thin paint and clean brushes. It is a flammable liquid, can be fatal if swallowed and it enters the airways, and its vapour causes drowsiness or dizziness.

Taken from the Refined White Spirit (under 2% aromatics) safety data sheet from Barrettine, revision 19 September 2023. Open the data sheet. Formulas differ between products, so check against the sheet for the product you actually buy. This sheet cites EU regulations and is the copy hosted by Wickes, revised September 2023. It covers a low-aromatic grade, so a different grade will not match.

Hazards on the data sheet

Signal word: Danger.

H226 Flammable liquid and vapour.
H304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways.
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.
P261 Avoid breathing vapours, spray.
P271 Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
P301+P310+P331 IF SWALLOWED: Immediately call a POISON CENTER, a doctor. Do NOT induce vomiting.
P405 Store locked up.
P501 Dispose of contents and container to a hazardous or special waste collection point.

Workplace exposure limit

EH40/2005 has no white spirit entry, and this sheet gives no limit. EH40 describes a way to calculate an in-house limit for hydrocarbon solvent mixtures, and its guidance values have no legal status.

PPE

Eyes	Safety glasses. Chemical goggles or safety glasses.
Hands	Protective gloves (reusable). Nitrile rubber (NBR): permeation 6 (> 480 minutes), thickness >0.55 mm. Polyvinylalcohol (PVA): 6 (> 480 minutes). Viton II: 6 (> 480 minutes). Standard EN 374-2, EN 374-3.
Breathing	In case of insufficient ventilation, wear suitable respiratory equipment.
Skin	Wear suitable protective clothing.

First aid

Eyes	IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.
Skin	Rinse skin with water/shower. Take off immediately all contaminated clothing.
Breathed in	Remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing. Call a POISON CENTER/doctor if you feel unwell.
Swallowed	Rinse mouth. Do not induce vomiting. Call a physician immediately.

Storage, spills and what to keep it away from

Storage	Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep cool. Keep container tightly closed. Store locked up. Ground/bond container and receiving equipment.
Spills	Stop leak if safe to do so. Ventilate spillage area; no open flames, no sparks, no smoking. Prevent from entering sewers, basements and workpits. Take up liquid spill into absorbent material and dispose at an authorised site. Notify authorities if product enters sewers or public waters.
Keep away from	Oxidizing agent.

What your assessment still has to cover

Record how brushes are cleaned, whether in an open tray or a closed container, and the ventilation in the room. Note how soaked rags are stored and disposed of, and whether anyone decants it into unlabelled bottles, given the swallowing hazard.

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