Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: DIOXOLANE Synonyms: 1,3-Dioxolan; Formal Glycol; Glycol Methylene Ether CAS Number: 646-06-0 Chemical Name: 1,3-Dioxolane RTK Substance Number: 0791 Date: February 1999 Revision: April 2008 DOT Number: UN 1166 Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE BACK PAGE Dioxolane is a clear, colorless liquid with an Ether-like odor. It Hazard Summary is used in lithium batteries and as a solvent for oils, fats, waxes Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA and dyes. HEALTH - 1 FLAMMABILITY - 3 REACTIVITY - 2 FLAMMABLE AND REACTIVE POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; Reasons for Citation 4=severe f Dioxolane is on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List because it is cited by ACGIH, DOT, and NFPA. f Dioxolane can affect you by ingestion and may be absorbed f This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance through the skin. List. f Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Dioxolane can irritate the nose and throat causing coughing and wheezing. f Exposure to Dioxolane may damage the nervous system. f Dioxolane may damage the kidneys. f Dioxolane is FLAMMABLE and REACTIVE and a SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. DANGEROUS FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD. FIRST AID Eye Contact f Immediately flush with large amounts of cool water for at Workplace Exposure Limits least 15 minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 20 ppm averaged contact lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical over an 8-hour workshift. attention. Skin Contact f The above exposure limit is for air levels only. When skin f Remove contaminated clothing and wash contaminated skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though with water. air levels are less than the limit listed above. Inhalation f Remove the person from exposure. f Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. f Transfer promptly to a medical facility. 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 DIOXOLANE Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Other Effects f Exposure to Dioxolane may damage the nervous system. f Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data f Dioxolane may damage the kidneys. Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. Medical f For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New Medical Testing Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the Sheet, available on the RTK website following are recommended: (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard Communication Standard file. f Exam of the nervous system f You have a right to this information under the New Jersey f Kidney function tests Worker and Community Right to Know Act, the Public Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the damage already done are not a substitute for controlling federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you exposure. are a private worker. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right f The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee employers to label chemicals in the workplace and Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). requires public employers to provide their employees with information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide similar information and training to their employees. 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 Dioxolane: f Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Dioxolane can irritate the nose and throat causing coughing and wheezing. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Dioxolane and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Dioxolane has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard f There is limited evidence that Dioxolane may damage the developing fetus in animals. DIOXOLANE Page 3 of 6 Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or f Wear indirect-vent, impact and splash resistant goggles sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less when working with liquids. toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures f Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single Respiratory Protection exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on should only be used if the employer has implemented a written workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control program that takes into account workplace conditions, Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and The following work practices are also recommended: medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). f Label process containers. f Provide employees with hazard information and training. f Where the potential exists for exposure over 20 ppm, use a f Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with an organic f Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed vapor cartridge. Increased protection is obtained from full recommended exposure levels. facepiece powered-air purifying respirators. f Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. f Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or f Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect material. Dioxolane, (2) while wearing particulate filters abnormal f Always wash at the end of the workshift. resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye irritation f Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. Check to contaminated. make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. If it is, f Do not take contaminated clothing home. replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer good, f Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. you may need a new respirator. f Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are f Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. being handled, processed or stored. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges f Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as applying cosmetics or using the toilet. vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. f Where the potential exists for exposure over 200 ppm, use a In addition, the following may be useful or required: NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure f Before entering a confined space where Dioxolane may be mode. For increased protection use in combination with an present, check to make sure that an explosive concentration auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a does not exist. pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. Personal Protective Equipment Fire Hazards If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate (29 CFR 1910.156). personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train employees on how and when to use protective equipment. f Dioxolane is a FLAMMABLE LIQUID. f Use dry chemical, CO2, alcohol-resistant foam or other The following recommendations are only guidelines and may foaming agent as extinguishing agents, as water may not be effective in fighting fires. not apply to every situation. f POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. f CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. Gloves and Clothing f Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. f Avoid skin contact with Dioxolane. Wear personal f Vapors may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. protective equipment made from material which can not be f Vapor is heavier than air and may travel a distance to cause permeated or degraded by this substance. Safety a fire or explosion far from the source. equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing material for your operation. f Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Silver Shield®/4H® as glove material for Ethylene Glycol and DuPont Tychem® Responder®, CSM, and TK; Kappler® Zytron® 500; and Saint-Gobain ONESuit® TEC as protective materials for clothing.