Common Name: NITROSYL CHLORIDE HAZARD SUMMARY IDENTIFICATION REASON for CITATION HOW to DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED WORKP
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Common Name: NITROSYL CHLORIDE CAS Number: 2696-92-6 RTK Substance number: 1396 DOT Number: UN 1069 Date: January 2002 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS * Nitrosyl Chloride can affect you when breathed in. No occupational exposure limits have been established for * Nitrosyl Chloride is a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and Nitrosyl Chloride. This does not mean that this substance is contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes not harmful. Safe work practices should always be followed. with possible eye damage. * Breathing Nitrosyl Chloride can irritate the nose and WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE throat. * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust * Breathing Nitrosyl Chloride can irritate the lungs causing ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary worn. edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of * Wear protective work clothing. breath. * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Nitrosyl Chloride and at the end of the workshift. IDENTIFICATION * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In Nitrosyl Chloride is an orange-red colored gas or a deep red addition, as part of an ongoing education and training liquid with an irritating odor. It is used as a catalyst, an effort, communicate all information on the health and intermediate, a bleaching agent for flour, and in synthetic safety hazards of Nitrosyl Chloride to potentially exposed detergents. workers. REASON FOR CITATION * Nitrosyl Chloride 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 CORROSIVE. * 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. * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. NITROSYL CHLORIDE 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 right potential and most severe health hazards that may result from to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the Mixed Exposures 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 exposure. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health problems. Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES immediately or shortly after exposure to Nitrosyl Chloride: Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous * Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most with possible eye damage. effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to * Breathing Nitrosyl Chloride can irritate the nose and enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at throat. the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also * Breathing Nitrosyl Chloride can irritate the lungs causing reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a sometimes necessary. medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: Chronic Health Effects (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether some time after exposure to Nitrosyl Chloride and can last for harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls months or years: should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New In addition, the following control is recommended: Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Nitrosyl Chloride has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer * Where possible, automatically transfer gaseous Nitrosyl in animals. Chloride or pump liquid Nitrosyl Chloride from cylinders or other storage containers to process containers. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Nitrosyl exposures. The following work practices are recommended: Chloride has not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Nitrosyl Chloride should change into clean clothing promptly. Other Long-Term Effects * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by * Nitrosyl Chloride can irritate the lungs. Repeated individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, exposure to Nitrosyl Chloride. phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. MEDICAL * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency shower facilities should be provided. * On skin contact with Nitrosyl Chloride, immediately wash Medical Testing or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have following is recommended: contacted Nitrosyl Chloride, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Nitrosyl Chloride is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for smoking, or using the toilet. damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. NITROSYL CHLORIDE page 3 of 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT HANDLING AND STORAGE WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN * Prior to working with Nitrosyl Chloride 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 * Nitrosyl Chloride will react with WATER or STEAM to done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace form corrosive Hydrogen Chloride gas and heat. controls are being installed), personal protective equipment * Nitrosyl Chloride is not compatible with STRONG may be appropriate. ACIDS (such as HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); ACID FUMES; REDUCING MATERIALS; and OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the NITROGEN OXIDES. appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated to train employees on how and when to use protective equipment. area away from METALS. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS not apply to every situation. Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic Clothing health effects? A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from * Avoid skin contact with Nitrosyl Chloride. Wear protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/ repeated exposures to a chemical. manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) term effects? should be clean, available each day, and put on before A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated work. exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make you immediately sick. Eye Protection * For liquified Nitrosyl Chloride wear indirect-vent, impact Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been and splash resistant goggles when working with liquids. exposed to chemicals? * Wear non-vented, impact resistant goggles when working A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is with fumes, gases, or vapors. increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is * Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with determined by the length of time and the amount of corrosive, highly irritating