Common Name: SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE CAS Number: 2551-62-4 RTK Substance number: 1760 DOT Number: UN 1080 Date: April 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Sulfur Hexafluoride can affect you when breathed in. * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health * Sulfur Hexafluoride can irritate the skin causing a rash or problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational burning feeling on contact. Direct skin contact can cause diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. frostbite. * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely * Sulfur Hexafluoride may cause severe eye burns leading evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area to permanent damage. air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results * Breathing Sulfur Hexafluoride can irritate the nose and from your employer. You have a legal right to this throat. information under OSHA 1910.1020. * Breathing Sulfur Hexafluoride may irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe (PEL) is 1,000 ppm averaged over an 8-hour shortness of breath. workshift. * High exposure can cause headache, confusion, dizziness, suffocation, fainting, seizures and coma. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is * Sulfur Hexafluoride may damage the liver and kidneys. 1,000 ppm averaged over a 10-hour workshift. * Repeated high exposure can cause deposits of Fluorides in the bones and teeth, a condition called “Fluorosis.” This ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is may cause pain, disability and mottling of the teeth. 1,000 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift. * The above health effects do NOT occur at the level of Fluoride used in water for preventing cavities in teeth. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust IDENTIFICATION ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust Sulfur Hexafluoride is a colorless, odorless gas. It is used in ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be electrical circuit interrupters, electric piping, and as a gaseous worn. insulator. * Wear protective work clothing. * On skin contact with Sulfur Hexafluoride, immediately REASON FOR CITATION submerse the affected body part in warm water. * Sulfur Hexafluoride is on the Hazardous Substance List * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, addition, as part of an ongoing education and training DOT and NIOSH. effort, communicate all information on the health and * Definitions are provided on page 5. safety hazards of Sulfur Hexafluoride to potentially exposed workers. 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. SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE page 2 of 6 This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. potential and most severe health hazards that may result from * Liver and kidney function tests. exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and potential effects described below. present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for --------------------------------------------------------------------------- damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right Acute Health Effects to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Sulfur Hexafluoride: Mixed Exposures * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung * Sulfur Hexafluoride can irritate the skin causing a rash or cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may burning feeling on contact. Direct skin contact can cause worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. frostbite. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will * Sulfur Hexafluoride may cause severe eye burns leading reduce your risk of developing health problems. to permanent damage. * Breathing Sulfur Hexafluoride can irritate the nose and WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES throat. * Breathing Sulfur Hexafluoride may irritate the lungs Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at shortness of breath. the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also * High exposure can cause headache, confusion, dizziness, reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is suffocation, fainting, seizures and coma. less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: some time after exposure to Sulfur Hexafluoride and can last (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the for months or years: substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls Cancer Hazard should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when * According to the information presently available to the New significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Sulfur In addition, the following controls are recommended: Hexafluoride has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. * Where possible, automatically transfer gaseous Sulfur Reproductive Hazard Hexafluoride from cylinders or other storage containers to process containers. * According to the information presently available to the New * Specific engineering controls are required for this chemical Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Sulfur by OSHA. Refer to the OSHA Standard: 29 CFR Hexafluoride has not been tested for its ability to affect 1910.101. reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Sulfur Hexafluoride may damage the liver and kidneys. * Repeated high exposure can cause deposits of Fluorides in * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Sulfur the bones and teeth, a condition called “Fluorosis.” This Hexafluoride should change into clean clothing promptly. may cause pain, disability and mottling of the teeth. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of MEDICAL exposure to Sulfur Hexafluoride. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate Medical Testing work area for emergency use. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency following are recommended: shower facilities should be provided. * Fluoride level in urine. Levels higher than 4 mg/liter indicate overexposure. SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE page 3 of 6 * On skin contact with Sulfur Hexafluoride, immediately * Exposure to Sulfur Hexafluoride is dangerous because it wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the can replace Oxygen and lead to suffocation. Only NIOSH workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full contacted Sulfur Hexafluoride, whether or not known skin facepiece operated in the positive pressure mode should be contact has occurred. used in Oxygen deficient environments. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Sulfur Hexafluoride is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, applying cosmetics, smoking, or using the toilet. Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic health effects? PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from repeated exposures to a chemical. WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs term effects? done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated controls are being installed), personal protective equipment exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make may be appropriate. you immediately sick. OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been to train employees on how and when to use protective exposed to chemicals? equipment.