Chloroform

Guidance on Safe Use

First-aid measures

General advice:

Adhere to personal protection measures when giving first aid.

If feeling unwell consult a physician. Show the safety data sheet or label to the doctor in attendance.

Inhalation:

Remove the victim to fresh air and keep warm and at rest. If breathing problems persists or other health symptoms develop consult a physician.

If breathing stops, apply immediately artificial respiration and cardiac massage. Immediately call the emergency doctor and hospitalise!

Skin contact:

Remove immediately soaked shoes and clothing. Wash immediately with water and soap or blow-dry. If extensive skin contact: hospitalise immediately and keep under medical surveillance. In case of skin irritation consult a physician.

Eye contact:

Wash immediately with plenty of water. If eye irritation persists consult an eye doctor.

Ingestion:

Rinse mouth with water (only if victim is conscious). Do not drink water, milk or alcoholic beverages (alcohol increases the toxic effects). Do not induce vomiting unless advised by a physician. Immedi-ately call the emergency doctor and hospitalise!

Protection of first-aiders:

Wear personal protective equipment as required.

Notes to physician:

Chloroform is easily resorbed by skin and mucous membranes. About 40% of resorbed chloroform is exhaled unchanged. Alcohol increases the toxic effects. If chloroform was involved in fire, phosgene may have been formed. Inhalation of phosgene can lead to toxic pulmonary oedema formation after several hours.

Symptoms: Cough, shortness of breath, respiratory depression, cardiac arrhythmias, tiredness, headache, nau-sea, vomiting, dizziness, intoxication, unconsciousness, apnoea, cardiac arrest.

Ingestion: burning sensation, nausea, vomiting (also bloody), abdominal pain.

Treatment:

Administer oxygen, if necessary intubation and ventilation. In the event of severe poisoning hyperven-tilation should be considered. Do not administer catecholamines because of the cardiac effect caused by the product. N-acetylcysteine should be administered within 12 hours of exposure as an attempt to counteract liver and kidney damage. Patients should be monitored in hospital for at least 48 hours after initial treatment due to possible severe liver and kidney damage (hepatorenal syn-drome) and toxic pulmonary oedema (ARDS) with a latency of 2 to 3 days.

Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. No oral administration of fluids, activated charcoal or laxatives, no gastric lavage but aspiration of the liquid from the stomach via a nasogastric tube while protecting against intubation, if this is possible within 60 minutes. Since chloroform is radiopaque, ingestion can be detected by an X-ray overview of the abdomen. The effectiveness of the decontamination can be checked with a subsequent X-ray.

Fire-fighting measures

Extinguishing media:

The product is not flammable. Adapt firefighting measures to surrounding fire/area.

If product is involved in fire: defeat developing combustion gases with water spray. Collect contami-nated firefighting water, do not allow entering into drains or surface waters. Dispose of in accordance with local regulations.

Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture:

If product is involved in fire: toxic and corrosive combustion products (hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, phosgene other chlorinated substances).

Precautions for fire-fighters:

Stay upwind from fumes. Wear full protective suit with self-contained breathing apparatus.

Special protective actions for fire-fighters:

Remove fire endangered containers. Fire endangered storage tanks should be cooled with water spray.

Accidental release measures

Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures:

Avoid contact with skin and eyes, and inhalation of vapours. Use personal protective equipment as required. Evacuate people not equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment upwind from leaking substance. Call the emergency brigade. If safely possible, close leaking valves and collect leaking product in suited containers.

Environmental precautions:

Do not let product enter drains or natural waters, soil or evaporate into the air. If possible, collect leaking product in suited containers. Soak up spilled product with inert absorbents (diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, universal absorbent – earth, sand and saw dust are not suited!) and collect immedi-ately in suited containers with tight closures, as the product is very volatile.

Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:

Pump residual tank content into a labelled  emergency tank, if original containment is damaged. Dis-pose of contaminated material as hazardous waste according to applicable regulations. Remove con-taminated soil to protect ground water; disposal or treatment according to applicable regulations. Ventilate concerned area well after cleaning.

Handling and storage

Precautions for safe handling: Technical measures/Precautions:

Storage and handling precautions applicable to products: Liquid. Harmful. Irritant. extract ventilation to points where emissions occur. Provide showers, eye-baths. respiratory protection equipment nearby. Drain or remove substance from equipment prior to break-in or maintenance. Well ventilate empty vats and tanks before entering

Safe handling advice: Safe handling advice: Handle substance within a predominantly closed system provided with extract ventilation to points where emissions occur. Avoid open handling. Great cleanliness in work areas is a necessary and important factor for safety. Handle and open container with care. Keep away from hot surfaces, glowing objects or flames. Avoid inhalation of vapours and skin contact with the liquid. Wear gloves (tested to EN374) if hand contamination is likely. In case of insufficient ventilation, wear suitable respiratory equipment.

Precautions for safe handling:

Avoid open handling with inhalation of vapours and skin contact with the liquid. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment if exposure is likely. Use only at well-ventilated places, e.g. in a fume hood or with extract ventilation at points where emissions occur. Limit the quantity of product in the work area for the work in hand. Do not use the substance in the vicinity of fire, glowing objects or welding & cutting operations.

Technical measures/Precautions:

Store and use only on protected ground. Keep whenever possible in closed systems with closed loop re-filling with vapour return line and dry-break couplings. Provide appropriate exhaust ventilation at points where emissions may occur. Drain substance from equipment and flush with suited cleaning liquids or gas prior to break or maintenance. Provide showers and eye-baths nearby (un)loading sta-tions for emergency intervention.

Hygiene measures:

Do not eat, drink or smoke when using chemicals. Apply suited skin protection ointment before start-ing work. Wash hands after handling of chemicals. Remove dirty work clothing and protective equip-ment when exiting work area.

Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:

Keep locked up, accessible only to qualified/authorised  persons.

Keep containers tightly closed in a dry, cool and ventilated place. Protect from impact of fire and heating. Store in double-walled containers or in bunded tanks with floors being impermeable for chlo-rinated solvents.

Suited materials: carbon steel, stainless steel, steel enamelled or coated with zinc silicate or other resistant coatings (always ask the manufacturer of the coating material for compatibility with the product).

Unsuited materials: aluminium and magnesium and their alloys, zinc, plastics unless approved by the material supplier.

Prevent uptake of moisture, preferably store under nitrogen blanketing for product quality reasons.

For further details consult the ECSA Guidance on Storage and Handling of Chlorinated Solvents on www.chlorinated-solvents.eu.

Incompatible products:

See ‘Stability and reactivity’.

Packaging material:

Suited: glass, carbon steel, stainless steel, steel enamelled or coated with zinc silicate or other re-sistant coatings (always ask the manufacturer of the packaging/coating material for compatibility with the substance). Sealings: fluoro rubber or other material as approved by the packaging supplier.

Not suited: phosphatised steel, aluminium and magnesium and their alloys, zinc, plastics unless ap-proved by the material supplier.

For further details consult the ECSA Guidance on Storage and Handling of Chlorinated Solvents on www.chlorinated-solvents.eu.

Transport information

Land transport (UN RTDG/ADR/RID)

UN number:

1888

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CHLOROFORM

Chemical name:

CHLOROFORM

Language:

English

Labels:

6.1

SpecialProvisions

Inland waterway transport (UN RTDG/ADN(R))

UN number:

1888

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CHLOROFORM

Chemical name:

CHLOROFORM

Language:

English

Labels:

6.1

Remarks

Marine transport (UN RTDG/IMDG)

UN number:

1888

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CHLOROFORM

Chemical name:

CHLOROFORM

Labels:

6.1

Remarks

Air transport (UN RTDG/ICAO/IATA)

UN number:

1888

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CHLOROFORM

Chemical name:

CHLOROFORM

Labels:

6.1

Remarks

SpecialProvisions

Exposure controls / personal protection

CONTROL PARAMETERS:

Exposure Limit Values

[to be provided after country regulation]

EU: Directive EU 2000/39/EC: INDICATIVE OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMIT VALUES: 8h (TWA): 10 mg/m³ = 2 ml/m³; 15 min (TWA): not specified. Notation: skin

EXPOSURE CONTROLS:

General protective measures:

Ensure sufficient air exchange and/or exhaust in work areas. Provide appropriate exhaust ventilation at points where emissions may occur. Monitor the working atmosphere on exposure levels.

Personal protective equipment:

Respiratory protection:

- At low concentration and short term activity (max 15 min): power assisted full mask, half- or full-face masks with filter AX, or fresh air supplied helmets certified for gases/vapours, or self-contained breathing apparatus (independent air supply).

- At high or unknown concentration or prolonged activity: self-contained breathing apparatus (inde-pendent air supply)

RPE has to compliant to EN 133.

Hand protection:

If skin contact is likely, use chemicals protecting gloves compliant to EN 374.

Short term activity (max 15 min): suited materials: butyl rubber or chloroprene or PVC, thickness: 0.5 mm or better (breakthrough time > 10 min). EVA laminate (breakthrough time > 30 min).

Prolonged activity: suited materials: fluorinated rubber or PVA, thickness: 0.5 mm or better (break-through time > 480 min). nitrile rubber, thickness: 0.5 mm or better (breakthrough time > 240 min)

The gloves supplier has to provide information on the suitability of the individual gloves against the product.

Eye/face protection:

Safety glasses or goggles compliant to EN 166.

Body protection:

Impervious protective suit, chemicals resistant protective shoes or boots.

Stability and reactivity

Reactivity & Chemical stability:

The product is stable under normal handling and storage conditions.

Product is sensitive to light and moisture (formation of : hydrogen chloride gas)

Conditions to avoid: Exposure to hot surfaces, glowing objects or flames. Exposure to light. Exposure to moisture.

Incompatible materials to avoid: Bases (alkali), Oxygen, oxidizing agents (possible formation of :explosive compounds or those sensitive to impact), Finely divided metals, Aluminium, Magnesium, Zinc, Titanium (abrasive powder, turnings: risk of explosion), Acetone, Sodium Azide

Hazardous decomposition products:

At high temperature, thermal decomposition giving toxic and corrosive products : Hydrogen chloride gas, Phosgene

Disposal considerations

Product Disposal:

Do not dispose of into drain. If recycling is not feasible, dispose as hazardous waste in accordance with waste regulations or plant permit.

Packaging disposal:

Dispose contaminated packaging as hazardous waste in accordance with waste regulations.

Fully cleaned packaging without remnant product may be re-used or disposed of as simple waste in accordance with waste regulations.