As with all chemicals, precautions are employed to protect the persons handling methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) during production, transportation, or processing of the chemical. The following describes guidelines developed for handling and transporting MDI and TDI, including their use in making polyurethane foams. It also provides links to Department of Transportation websites pertaining to transportation of chemicals in general, information that may be useful in determining how to handle MDI and TDI specifically.
Materials Handling
Transportation
Materials Handling
CPI Guidelines
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) has developed a number of guidelines to assist with the safe handling of TDI, MDI, and related polyurethane materials, including:
- "Working with TDI: What You Should Know"
- "Working with MDI and Polymeric MDI: What You Should Know"
- "Guidelines for the Responsible Disposal from Polyurethane Processing"
- "Melting Toluene Diisocyanates (TDI) in Drums"
- "Melting 4,4’-Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanates (MDI) in Drums"
- "Equipment Guidelines for Diisocyanate Storage Tanks"
Information on how to order these guidelines can be obtained at the CPI website.
» back to top
NIOSH Pocket Guide
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. For each chemical listed, the Guide provides the following:
- Chemical name, synonyms, trade names, conversion factors, CAS, RTECS, and DOT Numbers
- NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limits (NIOSH RELs)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
- NIOSH Immediate Dangerous to Life and Health values (NIOSH IDLHs)
- A physical description of the agent with chemical and physical properties
- Measurement methods
- Personal Protection and Sanitation Recommendations
- Respirator Recommendations
- Information on Health Hazards including route, symptoms, first aid and target organ information
Online Pocket Guide
4,4'-MDI Listing
2,4-TDI Listing
» back to top
Transportation
CPI Guidelines
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) has developed a number of guidelines to assist with the safe transportation of TDI and MDI, including:
- "TDI Transportation Guidelines"
- "MDI Transportation Guidelines"
- "Transloading Polymeric Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanates (PMDI)"
- "Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest"
Information on how to order these guidelines can be obtained at the CPI website.
» back to top
DOT Information
The Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, which is within the United States Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration, is responsible for coordinating a national safety program for the transportation of hazardous materials by air, rail, highway and water. Its website includes the following resources:
- Homepage
- Rules and Regulations
- Emergency Response Guidebook
- Spills
- Training Information
- Risk Management
- New Additions & Updates
» back to top