Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: GLUTARALDEHYDE Synonyms: 1,3-Diformylpropane; Glutaral; Cidex®; Procide® CAS Number: 111-30-8 Chemical Name: Pentanedial RTK Substance Number: 0960 Date: January 2000 Revision: April 2010 DOT Number: UN 2810 Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE LAST PAGE Glutaraldehyde is a colorless glass-like crystal that is usually Hazard Summary in a 2% to 50% water solution. It is used for cold sterilization of Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA dental and medical equipment and as a preservative, biocide, HEALTH 2 - hardener, and tanning agent. FLAMMABILITY 0 - REACTIVITY 0 - f ODOR THRESHOLD = 0.04 ppm POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE f Odor thresholds vary greatly. Do not rely on odor alone to DOES NOT BURN determine potentially hazardous exposures. Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe Reasons for Citation f Glutaraldehyde can affect you when inhaled and by passing f Glutaraldehyde is on the Right to Know Hazardous through the skin. Substance List because it is cited by ACGIH, DOT and f Contact with the liquid and vapor can severely irritate and NIOSH. burn the skin and eyes. f Inhaling Glutaraldehyde can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. f Glutaraldehyde can cause headache, nausea and vomiting. f Glutaraldehyde may cause a skin allergy and an asthma- like allergy. SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. Workplace Exposure Limits FIRST AID NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is Eye Contact f Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 0.2 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any time. minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention. ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 0.05 ppm, which should not be exceeded at any time. Skin Contact f Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash f The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin contaminated skin with large amounts of water. contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though air levels are less than the limits 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 GLUTARALDEHYDE Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Other Effects f Glutaraldehyde may cause a skin allergy. If allergy f Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data develops, very low future exposure can cause itching and a Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product skin rash. ingredients and important safety and health information f Glutaraldehyde may cause an asthma-like allergy. Future about the product mixture. exposure can cause asthma attacks with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and/or chest tightness. f For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet, available on the RTK website (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK Medical Central File or Hazard Communication Standard file. Medical Testing If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the f You have a right to this information under the New Jersey following is are recommended: Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act f Evaluation by a qualified allergist can help diagnose skin if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the allergy. federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you f Lung function tests. The results may be normal if the person are a private worker. is not having an attack at the time of the test. f The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and employers to label chemicals in the workplace and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for requires public employers to provide their employees with damage already done are not a substitute for controlling information concerning chemical hazards and controls. exposure. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). similar information and training to their employees. Mixed Exposures This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information f Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer, regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. emphysema, and other respiratory problems. It may worsen Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce effects described below. your risk of developing health problems. Health Hazard Information Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Glutaraldehyde: f Contact with the liquid and vapor can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes. f Inhaling Glutaraldehyde can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. f Glutaraldehyde can cause headache, nausea and vomiting. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Glutaraldehyde and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard f While Glutaraldehyde has been tested, it is not classifiable as to its potential to cause cancer. Reproductive Hazard f Recent evidence suggests that exposure to Glutaraldehyde is not a risk factor for spontaneous abortions. GLUTARALDEHYDE 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 If additional protection is needed for the entire face, use in include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely combination with a face shield. A face shield should not be irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust used without another type of eye protection. ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control Respiratory Protection exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control should only be used if the employer has implemented a written Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and The following work practices are also recommended: medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory f Label process containers. Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). f Provide employees with hazard information and training. f Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. f Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.05 ppm, use f Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed a NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with an organic recommended exposure levels. vapor cartridge. Increased protection is obtained from full f Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. facepiece powered-air purifying respirators. f Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous f Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or material. cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect f Always wash at the end of the workshift. Glutaraldehyde, (2) while wearing particulate filters f Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye contaminated. irritation occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator. f Do not take contaminated clothing home. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. f Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer f Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are good, you may need a new respirator. being handled, processed or stored. f Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. f Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges applying cosmetics or using the toilet. to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. In addition, the following may be useful or required: f Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.5 ppm, use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece f Where possible, use local exhaust ventilation and an operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure enclosed sterilization unit when mixing and activating mode. For increased protection use in combination with an Glutaraldehyde solution and for sterilization. auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus or an emergency escape air cylinder. Personal Protective Equipment Fire Hazards The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train (29 CFR 1910.156). employees on how and when to use protective equipment. f Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. Glutaraldehyde itself does not burn. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may f POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE.