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Definition

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is a part of the World Health Organization. Their web home page is https://www.iarc.fr.

IARC's mission is to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific strategies for cancer control.

Do not confuse this IARC with the International Arctic Research Center, which is unlikely to occur in the context of a Safety Data Sheet.

Additional Info

IARC compiles several databases on carcinogenic risk to humans, epidemiology and cancer control.

The IARC Monographs series is one of three resources that OSHA uses to list a material as known or probable human carcinogen. You can view this list of 1,017 agents reviewed in the monographs.

IARC classifies agents (chemicals, mixtures, occupational exposures etc.) into four basic categories:

• Group 1: The agent (mixture) is carcinogenic to humans. The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are carcinogenic to humans.
• Group 2: The agent (mixture) is probably carcinogenic to humans and

  Group 2A: The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are probably carcinogenic to humans.

  Group 2B: The exposure circumstance entails exposures that are possibly carcinogenic to humans.

• Group 3: The agent (mixture, or exposure circumstance) is unclassifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans.
• Group 4: The agent (mixture, exposure circumstance) is probably not carcinogenic to humans.

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If the Safety Data Sheet author has found evidence the material poses a carcinogenic risk following the hazard classification procedure listed in Section A.6 of Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.1200, that information will appear in Section 11 (Toxicological information) of the SDS. OSHA requires the author to either perform a detailed classification process or they may rely on information from IARC, the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), or OSHA itself.

NOTE: IARC Groups are NOT the same as the rating used in the Hazard Classification. The GHS procedure that is used by OSHA assigns carcinogens to either Category 1 (known human carcinogen) or Category 2 (suspected human carcinogen) and those do not align with IARC's Groups. See Figure A.6.1 of Appendix A of the HazCom Standard for more information on OSHA's hazard categories.

Further Reading

• A list of the substances evaluated by IARC, including their CAS number and monograph number.
• The Preamble to the IARC Monographs includes a section on the scientific review and evaluation process.
• IARC Monographs: 40 Years of Evaluating Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans from Environ Health Perspect. 2015, 123(6), p 507–514.
• IARC History.

See also: carcinogen, teratogen, toxic.

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.

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