The diisocianatos are some classified chemical agents as sensibilizantes respiratory and cutaneous, in addition to irritating, that they can cause damages in the respiratory system (asthma, hyperreactivity, etc.) and to damage the skin (dermatitis irritativa and/or allergic).
They have a very widespread use and they have multitude of applications, as they are rigid and flexible foams, insulators, cladding, plastics, fixatives, paintings, etc. The diisocianatos more used are that one of toluene (TDI), that one of diphenylmethane (MDI) and that one of hexametileno (HDI), among others.
For prevent the risk of exhibition, to European level has been legislated in two action plan:
- The Directive 2024/869, that it must transpose to our legislation before 8 April 2026, establishes limit values of daily exposure and short-duration for compounds of diisocianatos as a whole:
- VLA-Ed: of 6µg NCO/m3, with a period of transition of 10 µg/m3 until 2028.
- VLA-EC: of 12µg NCO/m3, with a period of transition of 20 µg/m3 until 2028.
- The Regulations (EU) 2020/1149 it establishes one compulsory training for users industrial or professionals, previous to its employment, on dangers that they involve the diisocianatos and as to use them in a sure way. Different levels have been defined according to the process of use and the risk of exhibition that it involves.