Treatment Classes and Safety
Any information displayed here is believed to be correct at the time of publication and corresponds to the latest standards. However no warranty is made, either expressed or implied, regarding its accuracy or the results to be obtained from the use of such information. None of the below is legal advice and is only guidance. No representation, warranty, assurance or understaking (express or implied) is or will be made and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by David Musson Fencing Limited or an representative thereof.
Creosote
Creosote can react with the skin and burn, therefore when handling any creosote product (liquid or coated) you MUST wear the appropriate protective equipment, for example gloves, goggles, long sleeves etc, and avoid touching other surfaces after handling creosote until cleansed of any creosote residue.
It is restricted to professional and agriculture use currently, it was banned from domestic/amateur use in 2003 due to concerns on hazrads to the environment and health.
When disposing of creosote treated wood, consider whether the wood can be reused or recycled. If so, it must only be reused in one of the following permitted uses under the specific time periods -
- Wood already in use before 31 December 2002 - Not affected by the restrictions on where it may be used. It may remain in use until the end of its service life.
- Wood treated with creosote prior to 31 December 2002 and placed on the market for second hand use (such as these) may be used by DIY, professional and industrial users in any situation apart from those listed below in the restricted list.
- Wood treated or re-treated with creosote before or after 31 December 2002 and placed on the market for first time use (as new) may be used for professional and industrial uses in any situation apart from those listed below in the restricted list.
Restricted uses -
- Inside buildings.
- In toys.
- In playgrounds.
- In parks, gardens and outdoor leisure facilities where there is a risk of frequent skin contact.
- In the manufacture of garden furniture such as picnic tables.
- For the manufacture and use and any re-treatment of containers intended for growing purposes, packaging that may come into contact with raw materials, intermediate or finished products destined for human and/or animal consumption and other materials which may contaminate the products mentioned above.
If it reaches the end of its service life and has to be disposed of, then disposal must be in accordance with the regulations on hazardous waste.
For the data sheet click here -> Creosote Safety Data Sheet
Use Class 4 (UC4)
Use Class 4 is for end uses where wood is in contact with or very close to the ground. When it comes to UC4, 15 years is taken as the default service life unless 30 years is specified, however this is not a garuantee. The 15 years desired service life can vary depending on the envrionment the treated wood is left in and can be shorter or longer than the desired life stated here.
For wood in permanent ground or fresh water contact, or providing exterior structural support, Use Class 4 levels of protection MUST be achieved. Anything less and service life, structural safety and customer satisfaction will be compromised.
If using a cement based mix to fix posts in the ground, ensure that water can drain away from the foot of the post.
When cross cutting, notching or boring treated timber products during installation, ALWAYS apply an end grain preservative treatment to freshly exposed areas to maintain the integrity of the protection. NEVER put cut ends in the ground, even if end grain is coated.