Health monitoring for tetrachloroethylene

This guide helps doctors to monitor the health of workers exposed to tetrachloroethylene.  

Tetrachloroethylene (CAS 127-18-4) is a colourless, volatile, non-flammable, chlorinated hydrocarbon.  

People use it as a solvent and chemical intermediate. 

Common uses for tetrachloroethylene are in textile processing and cleaning, degreasing and dry cleaning. The major uses of tetrachloroethylene are: 

• as a solvent in dry cleaning 

• as a degreasing agent in metal cleaning including railway cleaning 

• for processing and finishing textiles 

• manufacture and use for cleaning automotive products 

• manufacture of fluorocarbons 

• pesticides, mostly in grain fumigation 

• as insulating fluid and cooling gas in electrical transformers 

• paint, printing and adhesive manufacture and use 

• coal industry 

• petroleum refining 

• carpet cleaning. 

This guide is part of a health monitoring guide collection. 

There are also health monitoring guides for: 

• persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) 

• guide for workers 

• registered medical practitioners 

• hazardous chemicals