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Methyl Mercaptan
Methyl Mercaptan
HAZARD SUMMARY
* Methyl Mercaptan can affect you when breathed in. * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely
* Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area
* Breathing Methyl Mercaptan can irritate the nose and air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results
throat. from your employer. You have a legal right to this
* Breathing Methyl Mercaptan can irritate the lungs information under OSHA 1910.1020.
causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health
exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational
(pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you.
shortness of breath. * ODOR THRESHOLD = 0.0016 ppm.
* Exposure to Methyl Mercaptan can cause headache, * The range of accepted odor threshold values is quite
nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle weakness and loss of broad. Caution should be used in relying on odor alone as
coordination. Higher levels can cause loss of a warning of potentially hazardous exposures.
consciousness and death.
* Methyl Mercaptan may damage the liver and kidneys. WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS
* Repeated exposure may affect the blood cells causing OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit
anemia. (PEL) is 10 ppm, not to be exceeded at any time.
* Methyl Mercaptan is a HIGHLY FLAMMABLE GAS
and a DANGEROUS FIRE HAZARD. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is
0.5 ppm, not to be exceeded during any 15
IDENTIFICATION minute work period.
Methyl Mercaptan can exist as a gas, with a disagreeable
odor like garlic, or as a white liquid. It is used to give odor to ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is
natural gas and to manufacture Methionine, pesticides, jet fuel 0.5 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
and plastics.
WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE
REASON FOR CITATION * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust
* Methyl Mercaptan is on the Hazardous Substance List ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust
because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be
DOT, NIOSH, DEP, NFPA and EPA. worn.
* This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance * Wear protective work clothing.
List because it is FLAMMABLE. * On skin contact with liquid Methyl Mercaptan,
* Definitions are provided on page 5. immediately submerse the affected body part in warm
water.
HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In
EXPOSED addition, as part of an ongoing education and training
The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers effort, communicate all information on the health and
to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public safety hazards of Methyl Mercaptan to potentially
employers to provide their employees with information and exposed workers.
training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The
federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200,
requires private employers to provide similar training and
information to their employees.
METHYL MERCAPTAN page 2 of 6
This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the
potential and most severe health hazards that may result from following are recommended:
exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the
substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to * Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure.
any of the potential effects described below. * Complete blood count.
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Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for
damage already done are not a substitute for controlling
Acute Health Effects exposure.
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur
immediately or shortly after exposure to Methyl Mercaptan: Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal
right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020.
* Contact can irritate the skin and eyes.
* Breathing Methyl Mercaptan can irritate the nose and Mixed Exposures
throat. * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung
* Breathing Methyl Mercaptan can irritate the lungs cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may
causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical
exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time,
(pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health
shortness of breath. problems.
* Exposure to Methyl Mercaptan can cause headache, * Because more than light alcohol consumption can cause
nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle weakness and loss of liver damage, drinking alcohol can increase the liver
coordination. Higher levels can cause loss of damage caused by Methyl Mercaptan.
consciousness and death. * Persons suffering from a disease of the red blood cells
called Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency
Chronic Health Effects (G6 PD - def.) are at increased risk of suffering damage to
The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at their blood upon exposure to Methyl Mercaptan.
some time after exposure to Methyl Mercaptan and can last
for months or years: WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES
Cancer Hazard Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous
* According to the information presently available to the substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to
Methyl Mercaptan has not been tested for its ability to enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at
cause cancer in animals. the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also
reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is
Reproductive Hazard less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is
* According to the information presently available to the sometimes necessary.
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services,
Methyl Mercaptan has not been tested for its ability to In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider:
affect reproduction. (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the
substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether
Other Long-Term Effects harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls
* Methyl Mercaptan may damage the liver and kidneys. should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when
* Repeated exposure may affect the blood cells causing significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible.
anemia.
* Methyl Mercaptan can irritate the lungs. Repeated In addition, the following controls are recommended:
exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with cough,
phlegm, and/or shortness of breath. * Where possible, automatically transfer liquid Methyl
Mercaptan from drums or other storage containers to
MEDICAL process containers.
* Before entering a confined space where Methyl
Mercaptan may be present, check to make sure that an
Medical Testing explosive concentration does not exist.
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:
Eye Protection Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short-
* For liquid Methyl Mercaptan wear indirect-vent, impact term effects?
and splash resistant goggles when working with liquids. A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated
* Wear non-vented, impact resistant goggles when working exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to
with fumes, gases, or vapors. make you immediately sick.
* Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with
corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances.
METHYL MERCAPTAN page 4 of 6
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.
DEFINITIONS
ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation
Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations
TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. NAERG is the North American Emergency Response
Guidebook. It was jointly developed by Transport Canada,
The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts the United States Department of Transportation and the
Service to identify a specific chemical. Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico.
It is a guide for first responders to quickly identify the specific
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will or generic hazards of material involved in a transportation
burn. incident, and to protect themselves and the general public
during the initial response phase of the incident.
A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes
irreversible damage to human tissue or containers. NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that
determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals.
DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It
classifies substances according to their fire and explosion
DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency hazard.
that regulates the transportation of chemicals.
NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators,
agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes
standards to OSHA.
A fetus is an unborn human or animal.
NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests
A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer.
will ignite easily and burn rapidly.
OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid which adopts and enforces health and safety standards.
gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air.
PEOSHA is the Public Employees Occupational Safety and
HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal Health Act, a state law which sets PELs for New Jersey public
EPA. employees.
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a
scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their measure of concentration by volume in air.
cancer-causing potential.
A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases
A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly energy under certain conditions.
dissolve in another.
A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by
mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of damaging the fetus.
air. It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).
TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure
MSHA is the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the limit recommended by ACGIH.
federal agency that regulates mining. It also evaluates and
approves respirators. 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.
page 6 of 6
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> E M E R G E N C Y I N F O R M A T I O N <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; In NJ, for POISON INFORMATION call 1-800-764-7661
3=serious; 4=severe
Eye Contact
FIRE HAZARDS * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least
15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids.
* Methyl Mercaptan is a FLAMMABLE GAS.
* Stop flow of gas. Skin Contact
* Use water spray to reduce vapors. * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash
* POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, contaminated skin with large amounts of water.
including Sulfur Oxides. * Immerse affected part in warm water. Seek medical
* CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE. attention.
* Vapors may travel to a source of ignition and flash back.
* If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained
and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156.
Breathing
* Remove the person from exposure.
* Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if
SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped.
* Transfer promptly to a medical facility.
If Methyl Mercaptan is leaked, take the following steps: * Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours
after breathing overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be
* Evacuate persons not wearing protective equipment from delayed.
area of leak until clean-up is complete.
* Remove all ignition sources.
* Ventilate area of leak to disperse the gas.
PHYSICAL DATA
* Stop flow of gas. If source of leak is a cylinder and the leak
cannot be stopped in place, remove the leaking cylinder to a Vapor Pressure: 1,520 mm Hg at 79oF (26oC)
safe place in the open air, and repair leak or allow cylinder Flash Point: 0oF (-17oC) for liquid Methyl Mercaptan
to empty. Water Solubility: Soluble
* Keep Methyl Mercaptan out of a confined space, such as a
sewer, because of the possibility of an explosion, unless the OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES
sewer is designed to prevent the build-up of explosive
concentrations. Chemical Name:
* It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Methyl Methanethiol
Mercaptan as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your
Other Names:
Methylthioalcohol; Methyl Sulfhydrate; Mercaptomethane
regional office of the federal Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
* If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial
properly trained and equipped. OSHA 1910.120(q) may be purposes.
applicable. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
SENIOR SERVICES
Right to Know Program
PO Box 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368
(609) 984-2202
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