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Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: OXALIC ACID Synonyms: Oxalic Acid Dihydrate; Ethanedionic Acid CAS Number: 144-62-7 Chemical Name: Ethanedioic Acid RTK Substance Number: 1445 Date: February 2000 Revision: January 2010 DOT Number: UN 3261 Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE LAST PAGE Oxalic Acid is a colorless to white, odorless powder or Hazard Summary crystalline (sand-like) solid. It is used as a rust remover, Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA radiator cleaner and ink stain remover. HEALTH - 3 FLAMMABILITY - 1 REACTIVITY - 0 CORROSIVE COMBUSTIBLE Reasons for Citation POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE f Oxalic Acid is on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List because it is cited by OSHA, ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH and Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe NFPA. f This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance f Oxalic Acid can affect you when inhaled and by passing List. through the skin. f Oxalic Acid is CORROSIVE and contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Oxalic Acid can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. f Exposure to Oxalic Acid can cause headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, coma and even death. SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. f Prolonged or repeated contact can cause a skin rash, pain, redness, blisters, and slow healing ulcers. FIRST AID f Oxalic Acid may damage the kidneys. f Exposure may affect the nervous system. Eye Contact f Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention Workplace Exposure Limits immediately. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. Skin Contact f Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is 3 contaminated skin with large amounts of soap and water. 1 mg/m averaged over a 10-hour workshift and 3 Seek medical attention. 2 mg/m , not to be exceeded during any 15-minute work period. Inhalation ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 1 mg/m3 averaged f Remove the person from exposure. over an 8-hour workshift and 2 mg/m3 as a STEL f Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if (short-term exposure limit). breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. f Transfer promptly to a medical facility. f The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though EMERGENCY NUMBERS air levels are less than the limits listed above. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300 NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337 National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802 OXALIC ACID Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard f There is limited evidence that Oxalic Acid may damage the f Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data developing fetus and the male reproductive system Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product (including decreasing the sperm count) in animals. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. Other Effects f f For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New Prolonged or repeated contact can cause a skin rash, pain, redness, blisters, and slow healing ulcers. Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact f Oxalic Acid may damage the kidneys. Sheet, available on the RTK website f Exposure may affect the nervous system. (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard Communication Standard file. f You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Medical Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Public Medical Testing Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act For frequent or potentially high exposure (half the PEL or if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the greater), the following are recommended before beginning federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you work and at regular times after that: are a private worker. f Kidney function tests f The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers to label chemicals in the workplace and If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the requires public employers to provide their employees with following is recommended: information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 f Exam of the nervous system CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for similar information and training to their employees. damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). effects described below. Health Hazard Information Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Oxalic Acid: f Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Oxalic Acid can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. f Exposure to Oxalic Acid can cause headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, convulsions, coma and even death Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Oxalic Acid and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Oxalic Acid has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. OXALIC ACID Page 3 of 6 Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or f For solid Oxalic Acid, wear eye protection with side shields sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less or goggles. toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures f Wear indirect-vent, impact and splash resistant goggles include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely when working with liquids. irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust f Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control f Do not wear contact lenses when working with this exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on substance. workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. Respiratory Protection Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators The following work practices are also recommended: should only be used if the employer has implemented a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, f Label process containers. requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and f Provide employees with hazard information and training. medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory f Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. f Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). recommended exposure levels. 3 f Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. f Where the potential exists for exposure over 1 mg/m , use a f Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous NIOSH approved full facepiece, negative pressure, air- material. purifying, particulate filter respirator with an N, R or P100 f Always wash at the end of the workshift. filter. More protection is provided by a full facepiece f Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes respirator than by a half-mask respirator, and even greater contaminated. protection is provided by a powered-air purifying respirator. f Do not take contaminated clothing home. f Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or f Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect f Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are Oxalic Acid, (2) while wearing particulate filters abnormal being handled, processed or stored. resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye irritation f Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. Check to applying cosmetics or using the toilet. make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer good, In addition, the following may be useful or required: you may need a new respirator. f Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. f Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean- You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. 3 f Where the potential exists for exposure over 50 mg/m , use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full Personal Protective Equipment facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- pressure mode. For increased protection use in combination The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus or an 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate emergency escape air cylinder.