Common Name: TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE CAS Number: 126-73-8 DOT Number: None RTK Substance number: 1880 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: January 1988 Revision: May 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Tributyl Phosphate can affect you when breathed in and WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS may be absorbed through the skin. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. (PEL) is 0.46 ppm averaged over an 8-hour * Breathing Tributyl Phosphate can irritate the nose and workshift. throat. * Breathing Tributyl Phosphate can irritate the lungs NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher 0.2 ppm averaged over a 10-hour workshift. exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is shortness of breath. 0.2 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. * High exposure to Tributyl Phosphate can cause headache, drowsiness, tremors, convulsions and even * The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When coma. skin contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though air levels are less than the limits listed above. IDENTIFICATION Tributyl Phosphate is a colorless to pale yellow, odorless WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE liquid. It is used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, cellulose * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust acetate, plasticizers and antifoam agents. ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be REASON FOR CITATION worn. * Tributyl Phosphate is on the Hazardous Substance List * Wear protective work clothing. because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Tributyl NIOSH and NFPA Phosphate and at the end of the workshift. * Definitions are provided on page 5. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING effort, communicate all information on the health and EXPOSED safety hazards of Tributyl Phosphate to potentially The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers exposed workers. 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. TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE 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 Tributyl Phosphate: WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous * Breathing Tributyl Phosphate can irritate the nose and substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most throat. effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to * Breathing Tributyl Phosphate can irritate the lungs enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is shortness of breath. sometimes necessary. * High exposure to Tributyl Phosphate can cause headache, drowsiness, tremors, convulsions and even In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: coma. (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether Chronic Health Effects harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when some time after exposure to Tributyl Phosphate and can last significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. for months or years: In addition, the following control is recommended: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Tributyl New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Phosphate from drums or other storage containers to Tributyl Phosphate has not been tested for its ability to process containers. cause cancer in animals. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous Reproductive Hazard exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * There is no evidence that Tributyl Phosphate affects reproduction. This is based on test results presently * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Tributyl Phosphate should change into clean clothing Senior Services from published studies. promptly. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by Other Long-Term Effects individuals who have been informed of the hazards of * Tributyl Phosphate can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure to Tributyl Phosphate. exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough, * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. work area for emergency use. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency MEDICAL shower facilities should be provided. * On skin contact with Tributyl Phosphate, immediately Medical Testing wash 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 Tributyl Phosphate, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Tributyl Phosphate 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. TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE page 3 of 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Tributyl Phosphate you should be WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN trained on its proper handling and storage. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for * Tributyl Phosphate is not compatible with OXIDIZING some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES, controls are being installed), personal protective equipment CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE); STRONG may be appropriate. BASES (such as SODIUM HYDROXIDE and POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE); WATER; and MOIST OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the AIR. appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well- to train employees on how and when to use protective ventilated area. equipment. * Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are prohibited where Tributyl Phosphate is used, handled, or The following recommendations are only guidelines and may stored in a manner that could create a potential fire or not apply to every situation. explosion hazard. Clothing QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS * Avoid skin contact with Tributyl Phosphate. Wear solvent-resistant gloves and clothing. Safety equipment Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on health effects? the most protective glove/clothing material for your A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result operation. from repeated exposures to a chemical. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- work. term effects? A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated Eye Protection exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to * Wear indirect-vent, impact and splash resistant