Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: ACRYLIC ACID Synonyms: Propene Acid; Ethylene Carboxylic Acid; Vinylformic Acid CAS Number: 79-10-7 Chemical Name: 2-Propenoic Acid RTK Substance Number: 0023 Date: October 2007 Revision: March 2017 DOT Number: UN 2218 Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE BACK PAGE Acrylic Acid is a clear liquid with a sharp and irritating odor. It Hazard Summary is used in the manufacture of acrylic resins, plastic products, Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA leather treatments, and paper coating. HEALTH - 3 FLAMMABILITY - 2 ODOR THRESHOLD=0.06 ppm to 1 ppm REACTIVITY - 2 Odor thresholds vary greatly. Do not rely on odor alone to CORROSIVE determine potentially hazardous exposures. REACTIVE AND COMBUSTIBLE MAY POLYMERIZE EXPLOSIVELY POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE Reasons for Citation Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; Acrylic Acid is on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance 4=severe List because it is cited by ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH, DEP, IARC, NFPA and EPA. Acrylic Acid can affect you when inhaled and may be This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance absorbed through the skin. List. Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. Inhaling Acrylic Acid can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. Acrylic Acid may cause a skin allergy. Long term exposure may affect the kidneys and lungs. SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. FIRST AID Eye Contact Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 30 Workplace Exposure Limits minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention 2 ppm averaged over a 10-hour workshift. immediately. Skin Contact ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 2 ppm averaged Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash over an 8-hour workshift. contaminated skin with large amounts of water. Seek medical attention. Inhalation Remove the person from exposure. Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. 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 ACRYLIC ACID Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Other Effects Acrylic Acid may cause a skin allergy. If allergy develops, Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data very low future exposure can cause itching and a skin rash. Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product Long term exposure may affect the kidneys and lungs. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New Medical Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact Medical Testing Sheet, available on the RTK Program website For frequent or potentially high exposure (half the TLV or (http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to- greater), the following are recommended before beginning know/) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard work and at regular times after that: Communication Standard file. Lung function tests You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Worker and Community Right to Know Act, the Public If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act following are recommended: if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you Evaluation by a qualified allergist can help diagnose skin allergy. are a private worker. Kidney function tests The New Jersey Right to Know Act and the PEOSH Hazard Communication Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and requires most employers to label chemicals in the present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for workplace and requires public employers to provide their damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. employees with information concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires private employers to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee to provide similar information and training to their Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). employees. Mixed Exposures This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information Because 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 Workplace Controls and Practices Acute Health Effects Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less immediately or shortly after exposure to Acrylic Acid: toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely Acrylic Acid can irritate the skin causing a rash or burning irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust feeling on contact. ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single Acrylic Acid can severely irritate and burn the eyes with exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control possible eye damage. exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on Inhaling Acrylic Acid can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. Chronic Health Effects The following work practices are also recommended: The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Acrylic Acid and can last for Label process containers. months or years: Provide employees with hazard information and training. Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. Cancer Hazard Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed While Acrylic Acid has been tested, it is not classifiable as recommended exposure levels. to its potential to cause cancer. Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous Reproductive Hazard material. According to the information presently available to the New Always wash at the end of the workshift. Jersey Department of Health, Acrylic Acid has been tested and has not been shown to affect reproduction. ACRYLIC ACID Page 3 of 6 Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace. contaminated. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges Do not take contaminated clothing home. to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are Where the potential exists for exposure over 20 ppm, use a being handled, processed or stored. NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure applying cosmetics or using the toilet. mode. For increased protection use in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. Personal Protective Equipment The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR Fire Hazards 1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard employees on how and when to use protective equipment. (29 CFR 1910.156). The following recommendations are only guidelines and may Acrylic Acid is a COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID. not apply to every situation. Use dry chemical, CO2, water spray or alcohol-resistant foam as extinguishing agents. Gloves and Clothing POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. Avoid skin contact with Acrylic Acid. Wear personal CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. protective equipment made from material which can not be Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. permeated or degraded by this substance. Safety Acrylic Acid may ignite combustibles (wood, paper and oil). equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide Vapor is heavier than air and may travel a distance to cause recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing a fire or explosion far from the source. material for your operation. Vapors may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Butyl or Neoprene for gloves and DuPont Tychem® CPF-2, SL, CPF-4, Responder®, TK or F as protective materials for Spills and Emergencies clothing. If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put