Isocyanate oligomers

According to Decree 280-2024 published on February 28, 2024, in the Gazette officielle du Québec, the amendment to the Appendix 1 of the Regulation respecting occupational health and safety (RSST, RLRQ, c. S-2.1, r. 13) will come into force on March 14, 2024. These regulatory changes have not yet been incorporated into the current Substance Data Sheets of the Sampling Guide for Air Contaminants in the Workplace. An update is currently underway and will be available as soon as possible. Consequently, the information contained in the data sheets of substances modified or added in Decree 280-2024 is partially inaccurate or incomplete. Please consult our infoLABO (in French only) for more details. Please contact our client service: [email protected] for further information.

Isocyanate oligomers

French name in the regulation: Oligomères d'isocyanate

Exposure Standards in RROHS regulation

Permissible exposure values (PEV)

	ppm	mg/m³	f/cc	Notes
TWAEV	-	-	-	-
STEV	-	-	-	-
Ceiling	-	-	-	-

Carcinogenicity	Sensitizer	S
Simple asphyxiant	Percutaneous
Prohibited use	Prohibited recirculation
Minimum exposure	Explosion hazard
Ototoxic

TWA adjustment for unusual work schedules

III : Weekly adjustment

CNESST – Toxicological Index Service

Consult REPTOX file: Isocyanate oligomers

Analysis:

Oligomères d'isocyanate

Method: IRSST - 376

Sampling protocol

Sampling device:
Sampling media required:

#IRSST	Description
1415	Glass midget Impinger for isocyantes

Parameters:
Flow rate: 1 L/min
TWA sampling volume: 15 L
STEL sampling volume: -
Remarks: Please see the sampling instructions provided with the equipment. For surface wipe testing, contact SAC-labo. An impinger must be used for sampling if the process applied in the workplace involves a very fast isocyanate reaction, such as the application of MDI-based insulation for building insulation. Impinger sampling can only be done at a fixed station. Use equipment code 981 if small diameter particles are suspected (<2µm) and equipment code 1415 if only large particles are anticipated (>2µm). Determination of corresponding oligomers is also done during the analysis. The sampling time for impingers may be longer than 15 minutes. HDI may be determined concurrently with IPDI on the same sample. However, the analysis method does not differentiate between IPDI and HDI oligomers.

Analytical protocol

Principle: High performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV)
Remarks: Refer to the corresponding isocyanate. The estimated CVa for oligomers is the same than the one of the analyzed isocyanate total monomer.

Reference

IRSST. "Détermination de la fraction monomèrique des isocyanates sous forme vapeur et aérosol dans l'air des lieux de travail". Méthode 376. Non publiée.

Oligomères d'isocyanate

Method: IRSST - 376

Sampling protocol

Sampling device:
Sampling media required:

#IRSST	Description
917	Impregnated GF filter in series with teflon filter and vial

Parameters:
Flow rate: 1 L/min
TWA sampling volume: 15 L
STEL sampling volume: -
Remarks: Please see the sampling instructions provided with the equipment. For surface wipe testing, contact SAC-labo. An impinger must be used for sampling if the process applied in the workplace involves a very fast isocyanate reaction, such as the application of MDI-based insulation for building insulation. Impinger sampling can only be done at a fixed station. Use equipment code 981 if small diameter particles are suspected (<2µm) and equipment code 1415 if only large particles are anticipated (>2µm). Determination of corresponding oligomers is also done during the analysis. The sampling time for impingers may be longer than 15 minutes. HDI may be determined concurrently with IPDI on the same sample. However, the analysis method does not differentiate between IPDI and HDI oligomers.

Analytical protocol

Principle: High performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV)
Remarks: Refer to the corresponding isocyanate. The estimated CVa for oligomers is the same than the one of the analyzed isocyanate total monomer.

Reference

IRSST. "Détermination de la fraction monomèrique des isocyanates sous forme vapeur et aérosol dans l'air des lieux de travail". Méthode 376. Non publiée.

Oligomères d'isocyanate

Method: IRSST - 376

Sampling protocol

Sampling device:
Sampling media required:

#IRSST	Description
981	Isocyanates glass midget impinger and filter

Parameters:
Flow rate: 1 L/min
TWA sampling volume: 15 L
STEL sampling volume: -
Remarks: Please see the sampling instructions provided with the equipment. For surface wipe testing, contact SAC-labo. An impinger must be used for sampling if the process applied in the workplace involves a very fast isocyanate reaction, such as the application of MDI-based insulation for building insulation. Impinger sampling can only be done at a fixed station. Use equipment code 981 if small diameter particles are suspected (<2µm) and equipment code 1415 if only large particles are anticipated (>2µm). Determination of corresponding oligomers is also done during the analysis. The sampling time for impingers may be longer than 15 minutes. HDI may be determined concurrently with IPDI on the same sample. However, the analysis method does not differentiate between IPDI and HDI oligomers.

Analytical protocol

Principle: High performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV)
Remarks: Refer to the corresponding isocyanate. The estimated CVa for oligomers is the same than the one of the analyzed isocyanate total monomer.

Reference

IRSST. "Détermination de la fraction monomèrique des isocyanates sous forme vapeur et aérosol dans l'air des lieux de travail". Méthode 376. Non publiée.