Chlorine vapors can cause irritation, burning and blisters. Exposure to chlorine gas may cause severe eye damage. Direct contact of the eyes with liquid chlorine will produce serious eye burns even blindness. A study of 600 diaphragm cell workers exposed to 0.006 to 1.42 ppm, showed no statistically significant increase in abnormal chest x-rays, ECG's or pulmonary function tests. Inhalation is expected to be the primary route of occupational exposure to chlorine.
Chlorine liquid is corrosive to the eyes, mucous membranes and skin.
At normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, liquid chlorine readily vaporizes to gas. High concentrations of chlorine over a short period of time may aggravate pre-existing heart conditions, and cause congestive heart failure. At high concentrations, chlorine gas irritates the skin and can produce sensations of burning and pricking of the skin, with inflammation and blister formation. Exposure to concentrations as low as 5-10 ppm is reported to cause severe irritation of the eyes, nose and respiratory tract which is intolerable after a few minutes. Overexposure to chlorine can trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals.