Editing Portland cement (section)

==Safety issues==
Bags of cement routinely have health and safety warnings printed on them, because not only is cement highly [[alkali]]ne, but the setting process is also [[exothermic]]. As a result, wet cement is strongly [[causticity|caustic]] and can easily cause severe [[skin burn]]s if not promptly washed off with water. Similarly, dry cement powder in contact with [[mucous membrane]]s can cause severe eye or respiratory irritation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis26.pdf|title=HSE information sheet: Cement|access-date=2011-02-15|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604222509/http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis26.pdf|archive-date=4 June 2011|location=UK|publisher=[[Health and Safety Executive]]|df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Bolognia|first=Jean L.|author2=Joseph L. Jorizzo|author3=Ronald P. Rapini|title=Dermatology, volume 1|publisher=Mosby|year= 2003|isbn=978-0-323-02409-9}}</ref> The reaction of cement dust with moisture in the sinuses and lungs can also cause a chemical burn, as well as headaches, fatigue,<ref>{{cite journal|last=Oleru|first=U. G.|title=Pulmonary function and symptoms of Nigerian workers exposed to cement dust|journal=Environ. Research|volume=33|issue=2|pages=379–385|year=1984|doi=10.1016/0013-9351(84)90036-7|pmid=6714189|bibcode=1984ER.....33..379O}}</ref> and lung cancer.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rafnsson|first=V|author2=H. Gunnarsdottir|author3=M. Kiilunen|title=Risk of lung cancer among masons in Iceland|journal=Occup. Environ. Med.|volume=54|issue=3|pages=184–188|year=1997|doi=10.1136/oem.54.3.184|pmid=9155779|pmc=1128681}}</ref>

The production of comparatively low-alkalinity cements (pH<11) is an area of ongoing investigation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Coumes|first=Céline Cau Dit|author2=Simone Courtois|author3=Didier Nectoux|author4=Stéphanie Leclercq|author5=Xavier Bourbon|title=Formulating a low-alkalinity, high-resistance and low-heat concrete for radioactive waste repositories|journal=Cement and Concrete Research|volume=36|issue=12|pages=2152–2163|publisher=Elsevier Ltd.|date=December 2006|doi=10.1016/j.cemconres.2006.10.005|s2cid=96407505 |url=https://hal-cea.archives-ouvertes.fr/cea-02354116/file/200600000096.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://hal-cea.archives-ouvertes.fr/cea-02354116/file/200600000096.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[Scandinavia]], France, and the United Kingdom, the level of [[chromium#Precautions|chromium(VI)]], which is considered to be toxic and a major skin irritant, may not exceed 2 [[parts per million]] (ppm).

In the US, the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration]] (OSHA) has set the legal limit ([[permissible exposure limit]]) for portland cement exposure in the workplace as 50 mppcf (million particles per cubic foot) over an 8-hour workday. The [[National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health]] (NIOSH) has set a [[recommended exposure limit]] (REL) of 10&nbsp;mg/m<sup>3</sup> total exposure and 5&nbsp;mg/m<sup>3</sup> respiratory exposure over an 8-hour workday. At levels of 5000&nbsp;mg/m<sup>3</sup>, portland cement is [[IDLH|immediately dangerous to life and health]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=CDC – NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards – portland cement|url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0521.html|website=www.cdc.gov|access-date=2015-11-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121090720/http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0521.html|archive-date=21 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>