Titanium Dioxide
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Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: TITANIUM DIOXIDE CAS Number: 13463-67-7 Synonyms: Rutile; Anatase; Brookite Anatase Titanium Dioxide 1317-70-0 (powder form) Chemical Name: Titanium Oxide Rutile Titanium Dioxide 1317-80-2 (powder form) Date: July 2011 Revision: May 2016 RTK Substance Number: 1861 DOT Number: None Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE LAST PAGE Titanium Dioxide is an odorless, white powder. It is used in Hazard Summary paints, cosmetics, plastics, paper and food. Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA HEALTH 2 - FLAMMABILITY 0 - REACTIVITY 0 - CARCINOGEN Reasons for Citation POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. Titanium Dioxide is on the Right to Know Hazardous DOES NOT BURN Substance List because it is cited by OSHA, ACGIH, NIOSH and IARC. Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance 4=severe List. Titanium Dioxide can affect you when inhaled. Titanium Dioxide should be handled as a CARCINOGEN-- WITH EXTREME CAUTION. Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Titanium Dioxide can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with coughing, phlegm, SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. and/or shortness of breath. FIRST AID Eye Contact Workplace Exposure Limits Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact 15 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. lenses, if worn, while rinsing. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is Skin Contact 2.4 mg/m3 for fine Titanium Dioxide, and 0.3 mg/m3 Remove contaminated clothing and wash contaminated skin for ultrafine Titanium Dioxide, averaged over a 10- with soap and water. hour workshift. Inhalation ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 10 mg/m3 averaged Remove the person from exposure. over an 8-hour workshift. Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. Titanium Dioxide may be a CARCINOGEN in humans. Transfer promptly to a medical facility. There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. EMERGENCY NUMBERS Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300 NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337 National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802 TITANIUM DIOXIDE Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Other Effects Titanium Dioxide can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data may cause bronchitis to develop with coughing, phlegm, Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product and/or shortness of breath. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New Medical Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact Medical Testing Sheet, available on the RTK website For frequent or potentially high exposure (half the REL or (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK greater), the following are recommended before beginning Central File or Hazard Communication Standard file. work and at regular times after that: You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Lung function tests Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you damage already done are not a substitute for controlling are a private worker. exposure. The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most You have a legal right to request copies of your medical testing employers to label chemicals in the workplace and under the OSHA Access to Employee Exposure and Medical requires public employers to provide their employees with Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 Mixed Exposures CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems. It may worsen Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if similar information and training to their employees. you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health problems. This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. Health Hazard Information Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Titanium Dioxide: Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Titanium Dioxide and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard Titanium Dioxide may be a CARCINOGEN in humans since it has been shown to cause lung cancer in animals. Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen. Such substances may also have the potential for causing reproductive damage in humans. Reproductive Hazard According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Titanium Dioxide has not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. TITANIUM DIOXIDE Page 3 of 6 Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or Wear direct vent goggles when airborne particles or dust are sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less present. toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely Respiratory Protection irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single should only be used if the employer has implemented a written exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control program that takes into account workplace conditions, exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). The following work practices are also recommended: 3 Where the potential exists for exposure over 2.4 mg/m for 3 Label process containers. fine Titanium Dioxide, or 0.3 mg/m for ultrafine Titanium Provide employees with hazard information and training. Dioxide, use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. a full facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed positive-pressure mode. For increased protection use in recommended exposure levels. combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. apparatus or an emergency escape air cylinder. Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous material. Always wash at the end of the workshift. Fire Hazards Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained contaminated. and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard Do not take contaminated clothing home. (29 CFR 1910.156). Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of being handled, processed or stored. surrounding fire. Titanium Dioxide itself does not burn. Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. applying cosmetics or using the toilet. In addition, the following may be useful or required: Spills and Emergencies If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean- up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. properly trained and equipped. The OSHA Hazardous Waste Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter when Operations and Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR vacuuming. Do not use a standard shop vacuum. 1910.120) may apply. If Titanium Dioxide is spilled, take the following steps: Personal Protective Equipment Evacuate personnel and secure and control entrance to the The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR area. 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate Eliminate all ignition sources. personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train Moisten spilled material first or use a HEPA-filter vacuum for employees on how and when to use protective equipment. clean-up and place into sealed containers for disposal. It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Titanium Dioxide as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state The following recommendations are only guidelines and may Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your not apply to every situation. regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations.