******************************************* * HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE FACT SHEET * * RIGHT TO KNOW PROGRAM * * NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH * ******************************************* Common Name: SULFURIC ACID CAS Number: 7664-93-9 DOT Number: UN 1830 ------------------------------------------------------------ RTK Substance number: 1761 Date: January 1986 Revision: March 1995 ------------------------------------------------------------ SULFURIC ACID HAZARD SUMMARY * Sulfuric Acid can affect you when breathed in. * Sulfuric Acid is a CORROSIVE CHEMICAL and can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes causing permanent damage. * Breathing Sulfuric Acid can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath. * Repeated exposure can cause permanent lung damage, damage to teeth and stomach upset. * Sulfuric Acid is a REACTIVE CHEMICAL and is an EXPLOSION HAZARD. IDENTIFICATION Sulfuric Acid is an oily liquid. It is used in fertilizers, chemicals, dyes, petroleum refining, etching and analytical chemistry, and in making iron, steel and industrial explosives. REASON FOR CITATION * Sulfuric Acid is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, DOT, NIOSH, DEP, NFPA and EPA. * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance List because it is REACTIVE and CORROSIVE. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED * 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 1910.20. * 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. WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 1 mg/m3 averaged over a 10-hour workshift. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Sulfuric Acid and at the end of the workshift. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Sulfuric Acid to potentially exposed workers. ------------------------------------------------------------ This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all potential and most severe health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. ------------------------------------------------------------ HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Acute Health Effects The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Sulfuric Acid: * Sulfuric Acid can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes causing third-degree burns and blindness on contact. * Breathing Sulfuric Acid can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Sulfuric Acid and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * There is limited evidence that Sulfuric Acid causes lung cancer in refinery workers. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Sulfuric Acid has been tested and has not been shown to affect reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects * Repeated exposure can cause bronchitis, with cough, phlegm, and shortness of breath, and may cause emphysema. * Sulfuric Acid can cause chronic runny nose, tearing of the eyes, nose bleeds and stomach upset.. * Repeated exposure can cause erosion and pitting of the teeth. MEDICAL Medical Testing For those with frequent or potentially high exposure (half the TLV or greater), the following are recommended before beginning work and at regular times after that: * Lung function tests. * Exam of the teeth. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following may be useful: * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. In addition, the following controls are recommended: * Where possible, automatically pump liquid Sulfuric Acid from drums or other storage containers to process containers. * Specific engineering controls are recommended for this chemical by NIOSH. Refer to the NIOSH criteria document: Occupational Exposure to Sulfuric Acid #74-128 * Before entering a confined space where Sulfuric Acid may be present, check to make sure that an explosive concentration does not exist. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Sulfuric Acid should change into clean clothing promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Sulfuric Acid. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency shower facilities should be provided. * On skin contact with Sulfuric Acid, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. A specially formulated emolient soap can be used. * At the end of workshift, after washing, you should be provided with and use a skin cream which will help prevent excessive drying and a loss of elasticity of your skin. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Sulfuric Acid is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating or smoking. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation. Clothing * Avoid skin contact with Sulfuric Acid. Wear acid-resistant gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/ manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work. * ACGIH recommends Neoprene, Nitrile, Polyvinyl Chloride or Saranex as protective materials. Eye Protection * Wear splash-proof chemical goggles and face shield when working with liquid, unless full facepiece respiratory protection is worn. * For highly concentrated Sulfuric Acid, wear gas-proof goggles and face shield unless full facepiece respiratory protection is worn. Respiratory Protection IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134. * Where the potential exists for exposures over 1 mg/m3, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved full facepiece respirator with an acid gas canister and high efficiency particulate prefilters. Increased protection is obtained from full facepiece powered-air purifying respirators. * If while wearing a filter, cartridge or canister respirator, you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Sulfuric Acid, or in the case of a full facepiece respirator you experience eye irritation, leave the area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter, cartridge, or canister. If the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters, cartridges, or canisters, to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. * Where the potential for high exposures exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in the positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, hood, or helmet in the continuous flow mode, or use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode. * Exposure to 80 mg/m3 is immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility of exposures above 80 mg/m3 exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in continuous flow or other positive pressure mode. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic health effects? A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from repeated exposures to a chemical. Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short-term effects? A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make you immediately sick. Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been exposed to chemicals? A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is determined by the length of time and the amount of material to which someone is exposed. Q: When are higher exposures more likely? A: Conditions which increase risk of exposure include dust releasing operations (grinding, mixing, blasting, dumping, etc.), other physical and mechanical processes (heating, pouring, spraying, spills and evaporation from large surface areas such as open containers), and "confined space" exposures (working inside vats, reactors, boilers, small rooms, etc.). Q: Is the risk of getting sick higher for workers than for community residents? A: Yes. Exposures in the community, except possibly in cases of fires or spills, are usually much lower than those found in the workplace. However, people in the community may be exposed to contaminated water as well as to chemicals in the air over long periods. Because of this, and because of exposure of children or people who are already ill, community exposures may cause health problems. ------------------------------------------------------------ The following information is available from: New Jersey Department of Health Occupational Health Service Trenton, NJ 08625-0360 (609) 984-1863 Industrial Hygiene Information Industrial hygienists are available to answer your questions regarding the control of chemical exposures using exhaust ventilation, special work practices, good housekeeping, good hygiene practices, and personal protective equipment including respirators. In addition, they can help to interpret the results of industrial hygiene survey data. Medical Evaluation If you think you are becoming sick because of exposure to chemicals at your workplace, you may call a Department of Health physician who can help you find the services you need. Public Presentations Presentations and educational programs on occupational health or the Right to Know Act can be organized for labor unions, trade associations and other groups. Right to Know Information Resources The Right to Know Infoline (609) 984-2202 can answer questions about the identity and potential health effects of chemicals, list of educational materials in occupational health, references used to prepare the Fact Sheets, preparation of the Right to Know survey, education and training programs, labeling requirements, and general information regarding the Right to Know Act. Violations of the law should be reported to (609) 984-2202. ------------------------------------------------------------ DEFINITIONS ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to identify a specific chemical. A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes irreversible damage to human tissue or containers. DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency that regulates the transportation of chemicals. EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. A fetus is an unborn human or animal. A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly. The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal EPA. IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their cancer-causing potential. A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve in another. mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume). MSHA is the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that regulates mining. It also evaluates and approves respirators. A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer. NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies substances according to their fire and explosion hazard. NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes standards to OSHA. NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer. OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety standards. PEOSHA is the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Act, a state law which sets PELs for New Jersey public employees. ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a measure of concentration by volume in air. A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases energy under certain conditions. A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by damaging the fetus. TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure limit recommended by ACGIH. The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in. >>>>>>>>>E M E R G E N C Y I N F O R M A T I O N <<<<<<<<< Common Name: SULFURIC ACID DOT Number: UN 1830 UN 1831 (fuming) UN 1832 (spent) DOT Emergency Guide code: 39 CAS Number: 7664-93-9 ----------------------------------------- |Hazard rating | NJ DOH | NFPA | ----------------------------------------- |FLAMMABILITY | - | 0 | ----------------------------------------- |REACTIVITY | - | 2 | ----------------------------------------- | CORROSIVE AND REACTIVE | | DO NOT USE WATER | | POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE | | OR ON CONTACT WITH WATER OR STEAM | ----------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of surrounding fire. Sulfuric Acid itself does not burn. * DO NOT USE WATER. * Sulfuric Acid may ignite other combustible materials. * POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE or on contact with water or steam, including Oxides of Sulfur. * Use water spray only to keep fire-exposed containers cool. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Sulfuric Acid is spilled or leaked, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill or leak until cleanup is complete. * Cover spills with dry sand, soda ash or cement powder. DO NOT use organic materials like sawdust and DO NOT wash down a spill of Sulfuric Acid with water. * Collect spilled material in the most convenient and safe manner and deposit in sealed containers. * Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete. * Keep Sulfuric Acid out of a confined space, such as a sewer, because of the possibility of an explosion, unless the sewer is designed to prevent the build-up of explosive concentrations. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Sulfuric Acid as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. ------------------------------------------------------------ FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. You can request emergency information from the following: CHEMTREC: (800) 424-9300 NJDEP HOTLINE: (609) 292-7172 Other: ------------------------------------------------------------ HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Sulfuric Acid you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Sulfuric Acid must be stored to avoid contact with WATER, CYCLOPENTADIENE, CYCLOPENTANONE OXIME, NITROARYL AMINES, HEXALITHIUM DISILICIDE, and PHOSPHORUS III OXIDES since violent reactions occur. * Sulfuric Acid is not compatible with CHLORATES, CHROMATES, CARBIDES, FULMINATES, NITRATES, PICRATES, CYANIDES, HALIDES, and POWDERED METALS. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from SUNLIGHT, COMBUSTIBLES and ORGANIC MATERIALS in an area with an acid resistant cement floor. * Always add acid to water, never the reverse. * Sulfuric Acid is extremely corrosive HANDLE WITH CARE and use proper equipment and practices. * Wherever Sulfuric Acid is used, handled, manufactured, or stored, use explosion-proof electrical equipment and fittings. * Contact of Sulfuric Acid with metal drums may cause the release of flammable and explosive Hydrogen gas, therefore, storage drums should be coated with acid resistant material. FIRST AID In NJ, POISON INFORMATION 1-800-962-1253 Other: Eye Contact * INSTANTLY flush eyes with large amounts of water. Continue without stopping for at least 30 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention immediately. Skin Contact * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash area with large amounts of water. Seek medical attention immediately. Breathing * Remove the person from exposure. * Begin rescue breathing if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility. * Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after breathing overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be delayed. PHYSICAL DATA Flash Point: None Vapor Pressure: 73 mm Hg at 68 degrees F (20 degrees C) Water Solubility: Miscible/Reactive OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES BOV; Dipping Acid; Oil of Vitriol; Vitriol Brown Oil; ------------------------------------------------------------ Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes. ------------------------------------------------------------ NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Right to Know Program CN 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 (609) 984-2202 ------------------------------------------------------------Source: Environmental Research Foundation
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