Chemical Plant Safety Resources

In the following article you can download zinc oxide MSDS or ZnO MSDS directly to your computer.

Zinc oxide is a non flammable material that is commonly used in the manufacturing of rubber, ceramics, cement, paints, glasses, pigments, fire retardant, sealants, etc. These applications utilize the oxide reactivity of zinc oxide.

However, according to zinc oxide MSDS, zinc oxide have several potential health effects such as upper respiratory tract irritation, coughing, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and sub-sternal pain. In case of chronic over exposures, it could cause skin-eruptions in axilla, inner thigh, inner arm, pubic areas and scrotum. (more…)

I write about MSDS benzene due to benzene is one of the most dangerous chemicals in chemical industries. Chemical industries that use benzene are solvent production, adhesives, paint remover, gasoline, lubricants and many more.

Due to extensive uses of benzene and its potential hazard exposures not only for the manufacturers but also end users, I think it is essential to learn more about hazards associated with benzene usage. Benzene is listed at #6 CERCLA Hazardous Substance List. It is also known as a carcinogenic chemical. (more…)

Potassium hydroxide or KOH is substance that is used in the manufacture of soaps, alkaline battery as well as biodiesel. It is also known as a common laboratory chemical.

Potassium hydroxide is a very hazardous chemical and can cause irritation when contacts with skin and eye. In case of contact with eyes, it can cause severe damage such as corneal damage or blindness.

In order to learn more about potassium hydroxide health and safety hazards, we should refer to potassium hydroxide MSDS. (more…)

In this post, I would like to present one of the most essential and dangerous chemical, namely nitric acid. I mean that we have to provide nitric acid MSDS for the workplace and understand it thoroughly. The purpose is to utilize nitric acid optimally without risk.

Nitric acid is one of the most important acids that are commonly used in chemical plants. One of its common usages is as chemical cleaning agent for stainless steel pipes and tanks. For instance, a storage tank for hydrogen peroxide has to be chemical cleaned by nitric acid.

Nitric acid with chemical formula HNO3 is clear to yellow liquid. It causes skin and eye burns, severe respiratory tract irritation as well as digestive tract irritation. You can completely read the potential health effects of nitric acid from nitric acid MSDS. (more…)

My own story below will show you why many companies do not have gasoline MSDS, whereas in fact gasoline is extremely flammable liquid that will easily be ignited when there is an ignition source.

Beside gasoline is an extremely flammable liquid, it could also affect workers’ health due to gasoline contains other chemicals, such as benzene, toluene and certain quantities of chemical additives. Benzene is carcinogenic chemical.

Here is the story… (more…)

Sometimes, we forget to provide MSDS of antifreeze. It is mainly because we handle antifreeze infrequently. Taking antifreeze out of refrigerant machine and then feeding it into the machine after overhaul work finished.

In addition, most of us expect that the exposure level is too small and to have antifreeze MSDS is not necessary.

However, some of antifreeze chemicals are hazardous. For instance, methanol is very toxic chemical, which is commonly used as antifreeze agent for chilled cooling water. Another example is ethylene glycol.

Exposure level of the antifreeze shall be assessed properly in order to measure their risk to worker’s health and safety. (more…)

Carbon tetrachloride or tetrachloromethane, which is widely known as Freon 10 and halon 104, is a colorless liquid with ether like smell. Carbon tetrachloride, with chemical formula CCl4, is a toxic chemical and harmful to human’s health.

Carbon tetrachloride was widely used as solvent in laboratory, precursor for refrigerant and fire extinguisher agent. But due to its environmental problem and health effect, its used has been greatly reduced. (more…)