Calcium Phosphide Hazard Summary Identification Reason for Citation How to Determine If You Are Being Exposed Workp
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Common Name: CALCIUM PHOSPHIDE CAS Number: 1305-99-3 RTK Substance number: 0329 DOT Number: UN 1360 Date: February 1987 Revision: October 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Calcium Phosphide can affect you when breathed in. * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area * Breathing Calcium Phosphide can irritate the nose and air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results throat. from your employer. You have a legal right to this * High exposure to Calcium Phosphide can cause information under OSHA 1910.1020. headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, fatigue * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health and convulsions. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational * Breathing Calcium Phosphide can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs No occupational exposure limits have been established for (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe Calcium Phosphide. This does not mean that this substance shortness of breath. is not harmful. Safe work practices should always be * High exposure to Calcium Phosphide may affect the followed. heart, liver and kidneys. * Calcium Phosphide is a REACTIVE CHEMICAL and a WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE DANGEROUS EXPLOSION HAZARD. * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust * Calcium Phosphide when wet or in contact with moisture ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust can release highly toxic Phosphine gas. CONSULT THE ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND worn. SENIOR SERVICES HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE * Wear protective work clothing. FACT SHEET ON PHOSPHINE. * Dry brush or vacuum material thoroughly from skin immediately after exposure to Calcium Phosphide and IDENTIFICATION follow with large amounts of water. Calcium Phosphide is a reddish-brown crystalline (sand-like) * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In or gray granular solid. It is used to kill rodents and in addition, as part of an ongoing education and training explosives and fireworks. effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Calcium Phosphide to potentially REASON FOR CITATION exposed workers. * Calcium Phosphide is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is cited by DOT. * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance List because it is REACTIVE. * Definitions are provided on page 5. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public employers to provide their employees with information and training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, requires private employers to provide similar training and information to their employees. CALCIUM PHOSPHIDE page 2 of 6 This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and potential and most severe health hazards that may result from present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the damage already done are not a substitute for controlling substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to exposure. any of the potential effects described below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Mixed Exposures Acute Health Effects * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may immediately or shortly after exposure to Calcium Phosphide: worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health * Breathing Calcium Phosphide can irritate the nose and problems. throat. * High exposure to Calcium Phosphide can cause WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, fatigue and convulsions. Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous * Breathing Calcium Phosphide can irritate the lungs substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also shortness of breath. reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is Chronic Health Effects sometimes necessary. The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Calcium Phosphide and can last In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: for months or years: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether Cancer Hazard harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls * According to the information presently available to the should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Calcium Phosphide has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. In addition, the following controls are recommended: Reproductive Hazard * Where possible, automatically transfer Calcium * According to the information presently available to the Phosphide from drums or other storage containers to New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, process containers. Calcium Phosphide has not been tested for its ability to * Before entering a confined space where Calcium affect reproduction. Phosphide may be present, check to make sure that an explosive concentration does not exist. Other Long-Term Effects * High exposure to Calcium Phosphide may affect the Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous heart, liver and kidneys. exposures. The following work practices are recommended: MEDICAL * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Calcium Phosphide should change into clean clothing Medical Testing promptly. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family following are recommended: members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. individuals who have been informed of the hazards of * EKG. exposure to Calcium Phosphide. * Liver and kidney function tests. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. CALCIUM PHOSPHIDE page 3 of 6 * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency * NIOSH has established new testing and certification shower facilities should be provided. requirements for negative pressure, air purifying, * On skin contact with Calcium Phosphide, immediately particulate filter and filtering facepiece respirators. The wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the filter classifications of dust/mist/fume, paint spray or workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have pesticide prefilters, and filters for radon daughters, have contacted Calcium Phosphide, whether or not known skin been replaced with the N, R, and P series. Each series has contact has occurred. three levels of filtering efficiency: 95%, 99%, and 99.9%. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Calcium Phosphide is Check with your safety equipment supplier or your handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be respirator manufacturer to determine which respirator is swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, appropriate for your facility. smoking, or using the toilet. * If while wearing a filter or cartridge respirator you can * Use a vacuum to reduce dust during clean-up. DO NOT smell, taste, or otherwise detect Calcium Phosphide, or if DRY SWEEP. while wearing particulate filters abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or eye irritation occurs while PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT wearing a full facepiece respirator, leave the area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace workplace. You may need a combination of filters, controls are being installed), personal protective equipment prefilters or cartridges to protect against different forms of may be appropriate. a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the * Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a appropriate personal