Skin contact causes severe blisters; strongly corrosive as a solid and as a solution; very harmful if swallowed; extremely dangerous to eyes. LD50 273 mg/kg. TLV-C 2 mg/m3. SPECIAL HAZARD ALERT: Wear appropriate face and body protection when making solutions; potassium hydroxide generates large amounts of heat while dissolving. You might consider immersing your solution-making vessel in an ice bath. The ice bath will better enable you to control the solution temperature. Stir continuously.