Safety Alert Sawing Power Poles

[Woodwalker]

There is a wood preservative treatment process that the company I work for has discontinued because of serious safety concerns. It may be common practice for other utilities employ the use of this product. I found no discussion of it on this forum and with some people sawing old poles I thought it might be of interest.
Methyl Isothiocyanate (MITC) or MITC-Fume is applied in a closed delivery system where a hole is drilled into an existing pole and a porous aluminum tube (approx. ½" X 6 ½") is inserted into the hole about ground level then sealed with a dowel. The poles are tagged with a rounded corner triangle emblem with "MITC-FUME" stamped on it. This substance is toxic and a severe irritant. It is also highly toxic to fish.
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Watch for the tag, which should be about eye level and watch for flush cut dowels near the ground line.