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hazmat
I have a question,if you get a call the call comes in as a hazmat spill,they tell you its sulphuric acid 98%.Now on the way to the spill it starts to rain hard,getting on scene you find out the truck had a crack on top,when it turned into the site to unload it tipped enoght to spill about 4 gal. in a line about 400ft long.its still raining hard what do u do?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Donald L. Long on
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why is no one commenting on this?
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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If I am close enough to "see" hazmat then I am too close...I tip my hat to those brave souls that make up the "Mop and Glow" teams out there...But I believe if it get diluted enough that it can be handles....not by me mind you....but by Hazmat folks....Stay safe.....Paul Happy now....some dummy responded.....LOL
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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First off Donald, sulfuric acid 98% isn't listed in the ERG, greater than 51% is. Therefore before asking for what to do, and being concerned nobody is responding to your plea is a red flagg that you or you chief did something possibly worng. And nobody wants to get into the he said / she said.
What was the placard information, or the Hazmat UN ID #.
Lets get specific
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You are right on the money FETC...The ERG is the Bible for Hazmat...accordingly if it is 31% "fuming" 60 meter exclusion zone and .2 mile downwind zone...for a small spill which is what this was described as...Donald...read your ERG...Heck they are free you can even get your own copy....or take Firefighter II they discuss it well...Or take the "Safety Officers" course...they drill it into your head....I kow they did to me....and by the way...I stand by my previous statement...if I can see it I am too close....LOL Paul
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Material Safety Data Sheet; Sulfuric acid 90-98%
ACC# 22350 Section 1 - Chemical Product and Company Identification
MSDS Name: Sulfuric acid 90-98%
Synonyms: Hydrogen sulfate; Oil of vitriol; Vitriol brown oil; Mattling acid; Battery acid; Sulphuric acid; Electrolyte acid; Dihydrogen sulfate; Spirit of sulfur; Chamber acid.
For CHEMTREC assistance, call: 800-424-9300
For International CHEMTREC assistance, call: 703-527-3887
Section 2 - Composition, Information on Ingredients
CAS# Chemical Name Percent EINECS/ELINCS
7664-93-9 Sulfuric acid 90-98 231-639-5
Section 3 - Hazards Identification
EMERGENCY OVERVIEW
Appearance: clear colorless to yellow liquid.
Danger! Causes eye and skin burns. Causes digestive and respiratory tract burns. May be fatal if mist inhaled. Strong inorganic acid mists containing sulfuric acid may cause cancer. Concentrated sulfuric acid reacts violently with water and many other substances under certain conditions. May cause lung damage. Hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). Corrosive to metal.
Target Organs: Lungs, teeth, eyes, skin.
Potential Health Effects
Eye: Causes severe eye burns. May cause irreversible eye injury. May cause blindness. May cause permanent corneal opacification. The severity of injury depends on the concentration of the solution and the duration of exposure.
Skin: Causes skin burns. The severity of injury depends on the concentration of the solution and the duration of exposure.
Ingestion: May cause severe and permanent damage to the digestive tract. Causes gastrointestinal tract burns.
Inhalation: May cause irritation of the respiratory tract with burning pain in the nose and throat, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and pulmonary edema. Causes chemical burns to the respiratory tract. Inhalation may be fatal as a result of spasm, inflammation, edema of the larynx and bronchi, chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema. Because its vapor pressure is negligible, it exists in the air only as a mist or spray. Exposure may impair lung function and cause mucostasis (reduced mucous clearance).
Chronic: Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis. Prolonged or repeated inhalation may cause nosebleeds, nasal congestion, erosion of the teeth, perforation of the nasal septum, chest pain and bronchitis. Prolonged or repeated eye contact may cause conjunctivitis. Effects may be delayed. Workers chronically exposed to sulfuric acid mists may show various lesions of the skin, tracheobronchitis, stomatitis, conjunctivitis, or gastritis. Occupational exposure to strong inorganic acid mists containing sulfuric acid is carcinogenic to humans.
Section 4 - First Aid Measures
Eyes: In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for a t least 15 minutes. Get medical aid immediately. Skin: In case of contact, immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Get medical aid immediately. Wash clothing before reuse.
Ingestion: If swallowed, do NOT induce vomiting. Get medical aid immediately. If victim is fully conscious, give a cupful of water. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Inhalation: POISON material. If inhaled, get medical aid immediately. Remove victim to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Notes to Physician: Monitor arterial blood gases, chest x-ray, and pulmonary function tests if respiratory tract irritation or respiratory depression is evident. Treat dermal irritation or burns with standard topical therapy. Effects may be delayed. Do NOT use sodium bicarbonate in an attempt to neutralize the acid.
Section 5 - Fire Fighting Measures
General Information: As in any fire, wear a self-contained breathing apparatus in pressure-demand, MSHA/NIOSH (approved or equivalent), and full protective gear. Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. Substance is noncombustible. Contact with water can cause violent liberation of heat and splattering of the material. Contact with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may cause pollution. Approach fire from upwind to avoid hazardous vapors and toxic decomposition products. Strong dehydrating agent, which may cause ignition of finely divided materials on contact. Oxides of sulfur may be produced in fire.
Extinguishing Media: Use extinguishing media most appropriate for the surrounding fire. Do NOT get water inside containers. If water is used, care should be taken, since it can generate heat and cause spattering if applied directly to sulfuric acid.
Flash Point: Not applicable.
Autoignition Temperature: Not available.
Explosion Limits, Lower:Not available.
Upper: Not available.
NFPA Rating: (estimated) Health: 3; Flammability: 0; Instability: 2; Special Hazard: -W-
Section 6 - Accidental Release Measures
General Information: Use proper personal protective equipment as indicated in Section 8.
Spills/Leaks: Avoid runoff into storm sewers and ditches which lead to waterways. Clean up spills immediately, observing precautions in the Protective Equipment section. Carefully scoop up and place into appropriate disposal container. Provide ventilation. Do not get water inside containers. Cover with dry earth, dry sand, or other non-combustible material followed with plastic sheet to minimize spreading and contact with water.
Section 7 - Handling and Storage
Handling: Wash thoroughly after handling. Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. Do not allow water to get into the container because of violent reaction. Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Keep container tightly closed. Discard contaminated shoes. Use only with adequate ventilation. Do not breathe spray or mist. Do not use with metal spatula or other metal items. Inform laundry personnel of contaminant's hazards.
Storage: Do not store near combustible materials. Keep container closed when not in use. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible substances. Do not store near alkaline substances. Store protected from moisture. Ideally, sulfuric acid should be stored in isolation from all other chemicals in an approved acid or corrosives safety cabinet.
Section 8 - Exposure Controls, Personal Protection
Engineering Controls: Facilities storing or utilizing this material should be equipped with an eyewash facility and a safety shower. Use adequate general or local exhaust ventilation to keep airborne concentrations below the permissible exposure limits. Use a corrosion-resistant ventilation system.
Exposure Limits Chemical Name ACGIH NIOSH OSHA - Final PELs
Sulfuric acid 0.2 mg/m3 TWA (thoracic fraction) 1 mg/m3 TWA 15 mg/m3 IDLH 1 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Vacated PELs: Sulfuric acid: 1 mg/m3 TWA
Personal Protective Equipment
Eyes: Wear chemical splash goggles and face shield.
Skin: Wear neoprene gloves, apron, and/or clothing. Viton gloves are recommended.
Clothing: Wear appropriate protective clothing to prevent skin exposure.
Respirators: Follow the OSHA respirator regulations found in 29 CFR 1910.134 or European Standard EN 149. Use a NIOSH/MSHA or European Standard EN 149 approved respirator if exposure limits are exceeded or if irritation or other symptoms are experienced.
Section 9 - Physical and Chemical Properties
Physical State: Liquid
Appearance: oily - clear colorless to yellow
Odor: odorless
pH: 0.3 (1N solution)
Vapor Pressure: < 0.001 mm Hg @ 20 deg C
Vapor Density: 3.38 (air=1)
Evaporation Rate:Slower than ether.
Viscosity: 21 mPas @ 25 C
Boiling Point: 290 - 338 deg C
Freezing/Melting Point:10 deg C
Decomposition Temperature:340 deg C
Solubility: Soluble with much heat
Specific Gravity/Density:1.84
Molecular Formula:H2SO4
Molecular Weight:98.07
Section 10 - Stability and Reactivity
Chemical Stability: Sulfuric acid reacts vigorously, violently or explosively with many organic and inorganic chemicals and with water. Conditions to Avoid: Excess heat, exposure to moist air or water, Note: Use great caution in mixing with water due to heat evolution that causes explosive spattering. Always add the acid to water, never the reverse..
Incompatibilities with Other Materials: Metals, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, bases, acrylonitrile, chlorates, finely powdered metals, nitrates, perchlorates, permanganates, epichlorohydrin, aniline, carbides, fulminates, picrates, organic materials, flammable liquids.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Oxides of sulfur.
Hazardous Polymerization: Has not been reported.
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Bottom line is isolate the product, deny entry, protect down wind, evacuation if needed and contact a hazmat company for proper mitigation and environmental clean up.
Stabilizing is essentially covering the product with clean, dry, dirt.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on
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The ERG is the Bible for Hazmat, what a scary comment to hear. The ERG is only good for maybe 30 minutes at the beginning of the incident. The ERG is beyond basic, it only offers generalities for the first responder. There are a ton of other resources out there that are free and much better with providing information. WISER, CAMEO, NIOSH pocket guide, etc. Get your hands on as many as you have room for. We never use just one source and never use just one detector. Redundency is your friend. In this day and age of smart phones, download the apps or go to the respective websites. The information is out there, get failiar with finding it before you need it.
Stay safe.
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Mr.Brooks...that's great to hear....if you have the space and the time to carry a library with you then you are indeed fortunate....We are concerned with First on scene...NOT with the continuing clean-up...that is Hazmats job...I wouldn't even bother with the library and trying to look it all up....Call EPA or Dept of Conservation or better yet if near waterways call the Coast Guard....they not only show up quickly with well trained and equiped people but they also bring a very large open checkbook.....Paul
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The NIOSH pocket guide fits in the glove box. Get one for each truck. The days of waiting for help are way behind us thanks to the lawyers. If nothing else, we have to be able to protect ourselves.
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