Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet Common Name: POTASSIUM OXIDE Synonyms: Potassium Monoxide; Dipotassium Oxide CAS Number: 12136-45-7 Chemical Name: Potassium Oxide RTK Substance Number: 1576 Date: August 1999 Revision: April 2008 DOT Number: UN 2033 Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE BACK PAGE Potassium Oxide is a yellowish white to gray, crystalline Hazard Summary powder. It is used in the manufacture of other chemicals and Hazard Rating NJDOH NFPA as a reagent. HEALTH 3 - FLAMMABILITY 0 - REACTIVITY 2 - CORROSIVE POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE DOES NOT BURN DO NOT USE WATER Reasons for Citation Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; f Potassium Oxide is on the Right to Know Hazardous 4=severe Substance List because it is cited by DOT and DEP. f This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance f Potassium Oxide can affect you when inhaled. List. f Potassium Oxide is a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Potassium Oxide can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. FIRST AID Eye Contact f Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 30 Workplace Exposure Limits minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention No occupational exposure limits have been established for immediately. Potassium Oxide. However, it may pose a health risk. Always follow safe work practices. Skin Contact f Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash contaminated skin with large amounts of water. Seek medical attention. 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 POTASSIUM OXIDE Page 2 of 6 Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New f Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Jersey Department of Health, Potassium Oxide has not Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. ingredients and important safety and health information about the product mixture. Other Effects f Potassium Oxide can irritate the lungs. Repeated exposure f For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New may cause bronchitis to develop with coughing, phlegm, Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact and/or shortness of breath. Sheet, available on the RTK website (www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard Communication Standard file. Medical f You have a right to this information under the New Jersey Medical Testing 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 f Lung function tests are a private worker. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and f The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for employers to label chemicals in the workplace and damage already done are not a substitute for controlling requires public employers to provide their employees with exposure. information concerning chemical hazards and controls. 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 Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020). Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide similar information and training to their employees. Mixed Exposures f Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer, This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information emphysema, and other respiratory problems. It may worsen regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential your risk of developing health problems. effects described below. Health Hazard Information Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Potassium Oxide: f Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with possible eye damage. f Inhaling Potassium Oxide can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness of breath. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Potassium Oxide and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard f According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Potassium Oxide has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. POTASSIUM OXIDE Page 3 of 6 Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or f Wear eye protection with side shields or goggles. sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less f Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust Respiratory Protection ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control should only be used if the employer has implemented a written exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on program that takes into account workplace conditions, workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/. medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory The following work practices are also recommended: Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). f Label process containers. f Where the potential exists for exposure, use a NIOSH f Provide employees with hazard information and training. approved full facepiece air-purifying, particulate filter f Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. respirator with an N95, R95 or P95 filter. More protection is f Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed provided by a full facepiece respirator than by a half-mask recommended exposure levels. respirator, and even greater protection is provided by a f Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. powered-air purifying respirator. 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. Potassium Oxide, (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 for high exposure exists, use a NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece f Use a HEPA-filter vacuum to reduce dust during clean-up. operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure DO NOT DRY SWEEP. 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). f DOES NOT BURN The following recommendations are only guidelines and may f Use dry chemical, CO2, alcohol-resistant foam or other foam not apply to every situation. as extinguishing agents. f DO NOT USE WATER as violent reaction may occur. Gloves and Clothing f POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. f Avoid skin contact with Potassium Oxide. Wear personal f Potassium Oxide may ignite combustibles (wood, paper protective equipment made from material which can not be and oil). permeated or degraded by this substance. Safety equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing material for your operation. f Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Neoprene for gloves for Potassium Hydroxide and DuPont Tychem® Polycoat, CPF 1, QC, CPF 2, and SL; Kappler Zytron® 200; and Saint-Gobain ONESuit® TEC, or the equivalent, as protective materials for hazardous dry powders and solids.