Common Name: TETRANITROMETHANE CAS Number: 509-14-8 RTK Substance number: 1836 DOT Number: UN 1510 (PIH) Date: September 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Tetranitromethane can affect you when breathed in. federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, * Tetranitromethane should be handled as a requires private employers to provide similar training and CARCINOGEN--WITH EXTREME CAUTION. information to their employees. * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. * Breathing Tetranitromethane can irritate the nose and * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely throat. evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area * Breathing Tetranitromethane can irritate the lungs air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher from your employer. You have a legal right to this exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs information under OSHA 1910.1020. (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health shortness of breath. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational * High levels can interfere with the ability of the blood to diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. carry Oxygen causing headache, fatigue, dizziness, and a blue color to the skin and lips (methemoglobinemia). WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS Higher levels can cause trouble breathing, collapse and OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit even death. (PEL) is 1 ppm averaged over an 8-hour * Tetranitromethane may damage the liver and kidneys. workshift. * Repeated exposure to Tetranitromethane can cause low blood cell count (anemia) and can damage the nervous NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is system. 1 ppm averaged over a 10-hour workshift. * Tetranitromethane is a REACTIVE CHEMICAL and a DANGEROUS EXPLOSION HAZARD. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is * Tetranitromethane is a DOT Poison Inhalation Hazard 0.005 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. (PIH). * Tetranitromethane may be a CARCINOGEN in humans. IDENTIFICATION There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so Tetranitromethane is a pale yellow liquid with a pungent all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. odor. It is used as a rocket fuel, an additive to diesel fuel, and a reagent. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the REASON FOR CITATION site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or * Tetranitromethane is on the Hazardous Substance List enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, * Wear protective work clothing. DOT, NIOSH, DEP, IARC and EPA. * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance Tetranitromethane and at the end of the workshift. List because it is a CARCINOGEN and REACTIVE. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In * Definitions are provided on page 5. addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING safety hazards of Tetranitromethane to potentially EXPOSED exposed workers. 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 TETRANITROMETHANE page 2 of 6 This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all * Complete blood count. potential and most severe health hazards that may result from * Liver and kidney function tests. exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the * Blood methemoglobin level. substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to * Exam of the nervous system. any of the potential effects described below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal immediately or shortly after exposure to Tetranitromethane: right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. Mixed Exposures * Breathing Tetranitromethane can irritate the nose and * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung throat. cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may * Breathing Tetranitromethane can irritate the lungs worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe problems. shortness of breath. * Because more than light alcohol consumption can cause * High levels can interfere with the ability of the blood to liver damage, drinking alcohol can increase the liver carry Oxygen causing headache, fatigue, dizziness, and a damage caused by Tetranitromethane. blue color to the skin and lips (methemoglobinemia). Higher levels can cause trouble breathing, collapse and WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES even death. Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous Chronic Health Effects substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to some time after exposure to Tetranitromethane and can last enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at for months or years: the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is Cancer Hazard less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is * Tetranitromethane may be a CARCINOGEN in humans sometimes necessary. since it has been shown to cause lung and liver tumors in animals. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: * Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the to a carcinogen. Such substances may also have the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether potential for causing reproductive damage in humans. harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when Reproductive Hazard significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, In addition, the following controls are recommended: Tetranitromethane has not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Tetranitromethane from drums or other storage Other Long-Term Effects containers to process containers. * Tetranitromethane may damage the liver and kidneys. * Before entering a confined space where * Repeated exposure to Tetranitromethane can cause low Tetranitromethane may be present, check to make sure blood cell count (anemia) and can damage the nervous that an explosive concentration does not exist. system. * Protect containers from shock and heat. MEDICAL Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: Medical Testing If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by following are recommended: Tetranitromethane should change into clean clothing promptly. * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. TETRANITROMETHANE page 3 of 6 * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family * Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.005 ppm, members could be exposed. use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by with a chemical cartridge which is specifically approved individuals who have been informed of the hazards of for Tetranitromethane. Increased protection is obtained exposure to Tetranitromethane. from full facepiece powered-air purifying respirators. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate * Exposure to 4 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and work area for emergency use. health. If the possibility of exposure above 4 ppm exists, * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self-contained breathing shower facilities should be provided. apparatus with a full facepiece operated in a pressure- * On skin contact with Tetranitromethane, immediately demand or other positive-pressure mode. wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have HANDLING AND STORAGE contacted Tetranitromethane, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Prior to working with Tetranitromethane you should be * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Tetranitromethane is trained on its proper handling and storage. handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be * Tetranitromethane is HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE when swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, exposed to HEAT or SHOCK and forms explosive