Benzyl Bromide Hazard Summary Identification
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Common Name: BENZYL BROMIDE CAS Number: 100-39-0 RTK Substance number: 0216 DOT Number: UN 1737 Date: February 1987 Revised: December 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Benzyl Bromide can affect you when breathed in and by * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health passing through your skin. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational * Benzyl Bromide may cause mutations. Handle with diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. extreme caution. * Benzyl Bromide is a HIGHLY CORROSIVE WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS CHEMICAL and contact can severely irritate and burn the The following exposure limits are for Hydrogen Bromide: skin and eyes with possible eye damage. * Breathing Benzyl Bromide can irritate the nose and throat. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit * Breathing Benzyl Bromide can irritate the lungs causing (PEL) is 3 ppm averaged over an 8-hour coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures workshift. can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is breath. 3 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any time. IDENTIFICATION Benzyl Bromide is a clear liquid with a pleasant odor. It is ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is used to make other chemicals and tear gas, and as a foaming 3 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any and frothing agent. time. REASON FOR CITATION * Benzyl Bromide may cause mutations. All contact with * Benzyl Bromide is on the Hazardous Substance List this chemical should be reduced to the lowest possible because it is cited by DOT. level. * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance * The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When List because it is CORROSIVE. skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even * Definitions are provided on page 5. though air levels are less than the limits listed above. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE EXPOSED * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be employers to provide their employees with information and worn. training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The * Wear protective work clothing. federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Benzyl requires private employers to provide similar training and Bromide and at the end of the workshift. information to their employees. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely effort, communicate all information on the health and evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area safety hazards of Benzyl Bromide to potentially exposed air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results workers. from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. BENZYL BROMIDE page 2 of 6 This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal potential and most severe health hazards that may result from right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to Mixed Exposures any of the potential effects described below. * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung --------------------------------------------------------------------------- cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health Acute Health Effects problems. The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Benzyl Bromide: WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES * Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous with possible eye damage. substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most * Breathing Benzyl Bromide can irritate the nose and throat. effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to * Breathing Benzyl Bromide can irritate the lungs causing enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is breath. sometimes necessary. Chronic Health Effects In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the some time after exposure to Benzyl Bromide and can last for substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether months or years: harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when Cancer Hazard significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. * Benzyl Bromide may cause mutations (genetic changes). Whether or not it poses a cancer or reproductive hazard In addition, the following control is recommended: needs further study. * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Benzyl Reproductive Hazard Bromide from drums or other storage containers to * According to the information presently available to the process containers. New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Benzyl Bromide has not been tested for its ability to affect Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous reproduction. exposures. The following work practices are recommended: Other Long-Term Effects * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Benzyl * Benzyl Bromide can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure Bromide should change into clean clothing promptly. may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, phlegm, * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by and/or shortness of breath. individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Benzyl Bromide. MEDICAL * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. Medical Testing * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the shower facilities should be provided. following is recommended: * On skin contact with Benzyl Bromide, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Benzyl Bromide, whether or not known skin Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and contact has occurred. present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Benzyl Bromide is damage already done are not a substitute for controlling handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be exposure. swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, smoking, or using the toilet. BENZYL BROMIDE page 3 of 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT HANDLING AND STORAGE WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN * Prior to working with Benzyl Bromide you should be PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for trained on its proper handling and storage. some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs * Benzyl Bromide will react with WATER and done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace MOISTURE to form Hydrogen Bromide. controls are being installed), personal protective equipment * Benzyl Bromide is not compatible with STRONG BASES may be appropriate. (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE); AMINES; OXIDIZING AGENTS (such OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, PERMAN- appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and GANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES, CHLORINE, to train employees on how and when to use protective BROMINE and FLUORINE); and ALCOHOLS since equipment. violent reactions occur. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well- The following recommendations are only guidelines and may ventilated area away from LIGHT and METALS. not apply to every situation. * Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are prohibited where Benzyl Bromide is used, handled, or Clothing stored in a manner that could create a potential fire or * Avoid skin contact with Benzyl Bromide. Wear explosion hazard. protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) health effects? should be clean, available each day, and put on before A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result work. from repeated exposures to a chemical. Eye Protection Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- * Wear