Hydrazine Sulfate Hazard Summary Identification
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Common Name: HYDRAZINE SULFATE CAS Number: 10034-93-2 RTK Substance number: 2360 DOT Number: None Date: December 1994 Revision: May 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Hydrazine Sulfate can affect you when breathed in and * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely may be absorbed through the skin. evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area * Hydrazine Sulfate should be handled as a air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results CARCINOGEN—WITH EXTREME CAUTION. from your employer. You have a legal right to this * Hydrazine Sulfate can irritate and burn the eyes and skin. information under OSHA 1910.1020. * Breathing Hydrazine Sulfate can irritate the nose, throat * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health and lungs causing coughing and shortness of breath. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational * Exposure can cause you to feel dizzy and lightheaded. diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. Higher levels can cause trembling, a feeling of excitement, and even convulsions (fits). WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS * Hydrazine Sulfate may damage blood cells causing a low No occupational exposure limits have been established for blood count (anemia). Hydrazine Sulfate. This does not mean that this substance is * Exposure may damage the liver and kidneys. not harmful. Safe work practices should always be followed. * Hydrazine Sulfate may cause a skin allergy. If allergy develops, very low future exposure can cause itching and a * Hydrazine Sulfate may be a CARCINOGEN in humans. skin rash. There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. IDENTIFICATION * It should be recognized that Hydrazine Sulfate can be absorbed through your skin, thereby increasing your Hydrazine Sulfate is a white or colorless, crystalline (sand- exposure. like) material. It is used in refining rare metals, as a catalyst and antioxidant, and in fungicides, germicides and blood tests. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE REASON FOR CITATION * Enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the * Hydrazine Sulfate is on the Hazardous Substance List site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or because it is cited by NTP, DEP, HHAG and EPA. enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to List because it is a CARCINOGEN. Hydrazine Sulfate and at the end of the workshift. * Definitions are provided on page 5. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING effort, communicate all information on the health and EXPOSED safety hazards of Hydrazine Sulfate to potentially The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers exposed workers. 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. HYDRAZINE SULFATE page 2 of 6 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 * Exam of the nervous system. potential effects described below. * Evaluation by a qualified allergist, including careful --------------------------------------------------------------------------- exposure history and special testing, may help diagnose skin allergy. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION * Lung function tests. Acute Health Effects Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for immediately or shortly after exposure to Hydrazine Sulfate: damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. * Hydrazine Sulfate can irritate and burn the eyes and skin. * Breathing Hydrazine Sulfate can irritate the nose, throat Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right and lungs causing coughing and shortness of breath. to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. * Exposure can cause you to feel dizzy and lightheaded. Higher levels can cause trembling, a feeling of excitement, Mixed Exposures and even convulsions (fits). * Because more than light alcohol consumption can cause liver damage, drinking alcohol can increase the liver Chronic Health Effects damage caused by Hydrazine Sulfate. The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Hydrazine Sulfate and can last for WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES months or years: Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous Cancer Hazard substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most * Hydrazine Sulfate may be a CARCINOGEN in humans effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to since it has been shown to cause liver and lung cancer in enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at animals. the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also * Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is a carcinogen. Such substances may also have the potential less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is for causing reproductive damage in humans. sometimes necessary. Reproductive Hazard In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: * According to the information presently available to the New (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether Hydrazine Sulfate has not been tested for its ability to harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls affect reproduction. should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Other Long-Term Effects * Hydrazine Sulfate can irritate the lungs. Repeated In addition, the following control is recommended: exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. * Where possible, automatically transfer Hydrazine Sulfate from drums or other storage containers to process * Hydrazine Sulfate may damage blood cells causing a low containers. blood count (anemia). * Exposure may damage the liver and kidneys. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous * Hydrazine Sulfate may cause a skin allergy. If allergy exposures. The following work practices are recommended: develops, very low future exposures can cause itching and a skin rash. * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Hydrazine Sulfate should change into clean clothing MEDICAL promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family Medical Testing members could be exposed. Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by for those with frequent or potentially high exposures, the individuals who have been informed of the hazards of following are recommended: exposure to Hydrazine Sulfate. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate * Liver and kidney function tests. work area for emergency use. * Complete blood count. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency shower facilities should be provided. HYDRAZINE SULFATE page 3 of 6 * On skin contact with Hydrazine Sulfate, immediately wash QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic contacted Hydrazine Sulfate, whether or not known skin health effects? contact has occurred. A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Hydrazine Sulfate is repeated exposures to a chemical. handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- smoking, or using the toilet. term effects? * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean- A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make you immediately sick. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN exposed to chemicals? PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment determined by the length of time and the amount of may be appropriate. material to which someone is exposed. OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the Q: When are higher exposures more likely? appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and A: Conditions which increase risk