Common Name: CALCIUM HYDRIDE CAS Number: 7789-78-8 RTK Substance number: 0320 DOT Number: UN 1404 Date: March 1987 Revision: March 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS * Calcium Hydride can affect you when breathed in. No occupational exposure limits have been established for * Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes Calcium Hydride. This does not mean that this substance is with possible eye damage. not harmful. Safe work practices should always be followed. * Breathing Calcium Hydride can irritate the nose and throat. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Breathing Calcium Hydride can irritate the lungs causing * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of worn. breath. * Wear protective work clothing. * Calcium Hydride is a FLAMMABLE and REACTIVE * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Calcium chemical and a FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD. Hydride. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In IDENTIFICATION addition, as part of an ongoing education and training Calcium Hydride is a grayish-white crystalline (sand-like) effort, communicate all information on the health and solid. It is used as a drying and reducing agent and as a safety hazards of Calcium Hydride to potentially exposed cleaner for blocked up oil wells. workers. REASON FOR CITATION * Calcium Hydride 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 FLAMMABLE and REACTIVE. * 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. CALCIUM HYDRIDE 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 Calcium Hydride: 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 Calcium Hydride can irritate the nose and effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to throat. enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at * Breathing Calcium Hydride can irritate the lungs causing the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of sometimes necessary. 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 Calcium Hydride and can last harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls for 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 In addition, the following controls are recommended: New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Calcium Hydride has not been tested for its ability to * Where possible, automatically transfer Calcium Hydride cause cancer in animals. from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Reproductive Hazard * Before entering a confined space where Calcium Hydride * According to the information presently available to the may be present, check to make sure that an explosive New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, concentration does not exist. Calcium Hydride has not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: Other Long-Term Effects * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by * Calcium Hydride can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, Calcium Hydride should change into clean clothing phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family MEDICAL members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by Medical Testing individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Calcium Hydride. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate following is recommended: work area for emergency use. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. shower facilities should be provided. * On skin contact with Calcium Hydride, immediately Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and wash or shower to remove the chemical. present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Calcium Hydride 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. * Use a vacuum to reduce dust during clean-up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. CALCIUM HYDRIDE page 3 of 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN prefilters or cartridges to protect against different forms of PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs chemicals. done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace * Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a controls are being installed), personal protective equipment MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full may be appropriate. facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- pressure mode. For increased protection use in OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- to train employees on how and when to use protective pressure mode. equipment. HANDLING AND STORAGE The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation. * Prior to working with Calcium Hydride you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. Clothing * Contact with WATER or MOIST AIR may form * Avoid skin contact with Calcium Hydride. Wear flammable and/or toxic gases and vapors. protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment * Calcium Hydride must be stored to avoid contact with suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on METAL HALOGENATES; SILVER FLUORIDE; the most protective glove/clothing material for your TETRAHYDROFURAN; STRONG ACIDS (such as operation. HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) OXIDIZING AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, should be clean, available each day, and put on before PEROXIDES, PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES, work. NITRATES, CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE); ALCOHOLS; and ACID ANHYDRIDES. Eye Protection * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well- * Wear impact resistant eye protection with side shields or ventilated area. goggles. * Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are * Wear a face shield along with goggles when