Oxygen Difluoride Hazard Summary Identification Reason for Citation How to Determine If You Are Being Exposed Workp

Common Name: OXYGEN DIFLUORIDE

CAS Number: 7783-41-7 RTK Substance number: 1449 DOT Number: UN 2190 Date: December 2001 ------

HAZARD SUMMARY federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, * Oxygen Difluoride can affect you when breathed in and 1910.1200, requires private employers to provide similar may be absorbed through the skin. training and information to their employees. * Oxygen Difluoride is a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area with possible eye damage. air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results * Direct contact with liquid Oxygen Difluoride can cause from your employer. You have a legal right to this frostbite. information under OSHA 1910.1020. * Breathing Oxygen Difluoride can irritate the nose and * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health throat. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational * Breathing Oxygen Difluoride can irritate the lungs diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit shortness of breath. (PEL) is 0.05 ppm averaged over an 8-hour * High exposure can cause severe headache, drowsiness and workshift. muscle weakness. * Severe poisoning may cause bleeding into the lungs NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is causing lung damage. 0.05 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any * Oxygen Difluoride may damage the kidneys. time. * Repeated high exposure can cause deposits of Fluorides in the bones and teeth, a condition called "Fluorosis." This ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is can cause pain, disability and mottling of the teeth. 0.05 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any * The above health effects do NOT occur at the level of time. Fluoride used in water for preventing cavities in teeth. * The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When IDENTIFICATION skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even Oxygen Difluoride is a colorless gas or a yellowish-brown though air levels are less than the limits listed above. liquid with a foul odor. It is used as an oxidizer in rocket fuel systems. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust REASON FOR CITATION ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust * Oxygen Difluoride is on the Hazardous Substance List ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, worn. DOT and NIOSH. * Wear protective work clothing. * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Oxygen List because it is CORROSIVE. Difluoride and at the end of the workshift. * Definitions are provided on page 5. * On skin contact with liquid Oxygen Difluoride, immediately submerse the affected body part in warm HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING water. EXPOSED * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public effort, communicate all information on the health and employers to provide their employees with information and safety hazards of Oxygen Difluoride to potentially training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The exposed workers.

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This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the potential and most severe health hazards that may result from following are recommended: exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure and lung potential effects described below. function tests. ------* Kidney function tests.

HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for Acute Health Effects damage already done are not a substitute for controlling The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur exposure. immediately or shortly after exposure to Oxygen Difluoride: Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right * Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. with possible eye damage. * Direct contact with liquid Oxygen Difluoride can cause Mixed Exposures frostbite. * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung * Breathing Oxygen Difluoride can irritate the nose and cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may throat. worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. * Breathing Oxygen Difluoride can irritate the lungs causing Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can reduce your risk of developing health problems. cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath. WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES * High exposure can cause severe headache, drowsiness and muscle weakness. Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most Chronic Health Effects effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at some time after exposure to Oxygen Difluoride and can last the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also for months or years: reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is Cancer Hazard sometimes necessary. * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Oxygen In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: Difluoride has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the in animals. substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls Reproductive Hazard should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when * According to the information presently available to the New significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Oxygen Difluoride has not been tested for its ability to affect In addition, the following controls are recommended: reproduction. * Where possible, automatically transfer Oxygen Difluoride Other Long-Term Effects or pump liquid Oxygen Difluoride from cylinders or other * Severe poisoning may cause bleeding into the lungs causing storage containers to process containers. lung damage. * Specific engineering controls are required for this chemical by OSHA. Refer to the OSHA Standard: 29 CFR * Oxygen Difluoride may damage the kidneys. 1910.101. * Repeated high exposure can cause deposits of Fluorides in

the bones and teeth, a condition called "Fluorosis." This Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous can cause pain, disability and mottling of the teeth. exposures. The following work practices are recommended:

MEDICAL * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Oxygen Difluoride should change into clean clothing promptly. Medical Testing * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, individuals who have been informed of the hazards of the following is recommended: exposure to Oxygen Difluoride. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate * Fluoride level in urine. Levels higher than 4 mg/liter work area for emergency use. indicate overexposure. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency shower facilities should be provided. OXYGEN DIFLUORIDE page 3 of 6

* On skin contact with Oxygen Difluoride, immediately * Exposure to 0.5 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and wash or shower to remove the chemical. health. If the possibility of exposure above 0.5 ppm exists, * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Oxygen Difluoride is use a NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be with a full facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, positive-pressure mode. applying cosmetics, smoking, or using the toilet. HANDLING AND STORAGE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT * Prior to working with Oxygen Difluoride you should be WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN trained on its proper handling and storage. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for * Oxygen Difluoride will react slowly with WATER to some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs form corrosive Hydrogen Fluoride gas. done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace * Oxygen Difluoride must be stored to avoid contact with controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. STEAM; MOIST AIR; CHLORINE; BROMINE; IODINE; PLATINUM; METAL OXIDES; REDUCING AGENTS; OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the ADSORBENTS (such as SILICA GEL and ALUMINA); appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and COMBUSTIBLES (such as WOOD, PAPER, OIL and to train employees on how and when to use protective FUELS); AMMONIA; HALOGENS; and HYDROGEN equipment. SULFIDE since violent reactions or explosions may occur. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated The following recommendations are only guidelines and may area. not apply to every situation. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Clothing * Avoid skin contact with Oxygen Difluoride. Wear Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment health effects? suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from the most protective glove/clothing material for your repeated exposures to a chemical. operation. * Where exposure to cold equipment, vapors, or liquid may Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- occur, employees should be provided with special clothing term effects? designed to prevent the freezing of body tissues. A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make should be clean, available each day, and put on before you immediately sick. work. Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been Eye Protection exposed to chemicals? * Wear non-vented, impact resistant goggles when working A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is with fumes, gases, or vapors. increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is * Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with determined by the length of time and the amount of corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. material to which someone is exposed. * Contact lenses should not be worn when working with this substance. Q: When are higher exposures more likely? A: Conditions which increase risk of exposure include Respiratory Protection physical and mechanical processes (heating, pouring, IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. spraying, spills and evaporation from large surface areas Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a such as open containers), and "confined space" exposures written program that takes into account workplace conditions, (working inside vats, reactors, boilers, small rooms, etc.). requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134. Q: Is the risk of getting sick higher for workers than for

community residents? * Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.05 ppm, use A: Yes. Exposures in the community, except possibly in a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full cases of fires or spills, are usually much lower than those facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- found in the workplace. However, people in the pressure mode. For increased protection use in community may be exposed to contaminated water as combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing well as to chemicals in the air over long periods. This apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- may be a problem for children or people who are already pressure mode. ill. OXYGEN DIFLUORIDE page 4 of 6

------The following information is available from:

New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Occupational Health Service PO Box 360 Trenton, NJ 08625-0360 (609) 984-1863 (609) 292-5677 (fax)

Web address: http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/odisweb/

Industrial Hygiene Information Industrial hygienists are available to answer your questions regarding the control of chemical exposures using exhaust ventilation, special work practices, good housekeeping, good hygiene practices, and personal protective equipment including respirators. In addition, they can help to interpret the results of industrial hygiene survey data.

Medical Evaluation If you think you are becoming sick because of exposure to chemicals at your workplace, you may call personnel at the Department of Health and Senior Services, Occupational Health Service, who can help you find the information you need.

Public Presentations Presentations and educational programs on occupational health or the Right to Know Act can be organized for labor unions, trade associations and other groups.

Right to Know Information Resources The Right to Know Infoline (609) 984-2202 can answer questions about the identity and potential health effects of chemicals, list of educational materials in occupational health, references used to prepare the Fact Sheets, preparation of the Right to Know Survey, education and training programs, labeling requirements, and general information regarding the Right to Know Act. Violations of the law should be reported to (609) 984-2202. ------OXYGEN DIFLUORIDE page 5 of 6

DEFINITIONS

ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental NAERG is the North American Emergency Response Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called Guidebook. It was jointly developed by Transport Canada, the TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. United States Department of Transportation and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico. It is a A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. guide for first responders to quickly identify the specific or generic hazards of material involved in a transportation The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts incident, and to protect themselves and the general public Service to identify a specific chemical. during the initial response phase of the incident.

A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals. A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes irreversible damage to human tissue or containers. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies substances according to their fire and explosion hazard. DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators, DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes standards that regulates the transportation of chemicals. to OSHA.

EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer.

A fetus is an unborn human or animal. OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety standards. A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly. PEL is the Permissible Exposure Limit which is enforceable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison Inhalation Hazards. HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal EPA. ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a measure of concentration by volume in air. IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases cancer-causing potential. energy under certain conditions.

A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by in another. damaging the fetus. mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume). limit recommended by ACGIH.

A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer. indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.

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Common Name: OXYGEN DIFLUORIDE ======DOT Number: UN 2190 FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire NAERG Code: 124 department. You can request emergency information from the CAS Number: 7783-41-7 following:

CHEMTREC: (800) 424-9300 Hazard rating NJDHSS NFPA NJDEP HOTLINE: 1-877-WARN-DEP FLAMMABILITY Not Found Not Rated ======(See page 3) Not Found Not Rated HANDLING AND STORAGE REACTIVITY CORROSIVE FIRST AID DO NOT USE WATER POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE For POISON INFORMATION call 1-800-222-1222 CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE Eye Contact Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; * Immediately flush with large amounts of water. Continue 3=serious; 4=severe without stopping for at least 30 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention FIRE HAZARDS immediately.

* Does not burn. Skin Contact * DO NOT USE WATER. Use fog on the surrounding area. * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash * POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, area with large amounts of soap and water. Seek medical including Fluoride. attention immediately. * CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. * Immerse affected part in warm water. Seek medical * Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. Do attention. not get water inside containers. * Oxygen Difluoride may ignite combustibles (wood, paper Breathing and oil). * Remove the person from exposure. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be * Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES * Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after breathing overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be If Oxygen Difluoride is leaked, take the following steps: delayed.

* Evacuate persons not wearing protective equipment from PHYSICAL DATA area of leak until clean-up is complete. * Ventilate area of leak to disperse the gas. Vapor Pressure: 760 mm Hg at 68oF (20oC) * Stop flow of gas. If source of leak is a cylinder and the leak cannot be stopped in place, remove the leaking cylinder to Water Solubility: Decomposes a safe place in the open air, and repair leak or allow cylinder to empty. OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES * DO NOT USE WATER OR WET METHOD. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Oxygen Chemical Name: Difluoride as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your Oxygen Fluoride state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or Other Names: your regional office of the federal Environmental Fluorine Monoxide; Difluorine Monoxide Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. ------* If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial properly trained and equipped. OSHA 1910.120(q) may be purposes. applicable. ------NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES Right to Know Program PO Box 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 (609) 984-2202 H4503 ------