Effective Date: 9/25/2018

Standard Operating Procedure

SOP Title: Oxidizers Safety & Standard Operating Procedures
Principal Contact:
Room and Building:
Lab Phone Number:
Purpose
The purpose of this standard operating procedure (SOP) is to provide safe handling guidelines
for oxidizing chemicals.
User Responsibilities
All users are responsible for using oxidizing chemicals in accordance with the parameters
outlined in this SOP.
Training
All personnel who use oxidizing chemicals must have successfully completed a training session
from their supervisor on the safe operating procedures. Documentation of trained personnel is to
be acknowledged at the end of this SOP.
Definitions
Oxidizing chemicals are chemicals that decompose readily under certain conditions to yield
oxygen. They may cause a fire when they come into contact with combustible materials, can
react violently with water, and when involved in a fire, can react violently.
Common groups of oxidizing chemicals:
 Inorganic peroxides: noncombustible, but react vigorously with water to release oxygen.
Reactions with organic and oxidizable substances may cause a fire.
 Nitrates: noncombustible, but enhance combustion of other substances. They give off
irritating or toxic fumes in a fire. Some nitrates may become shock sensitive when mixed
with organic materials.
 Organic Peroxides: unstable, highly reactive, and extremely flammable in the dry,
crystalline state. They are highly sensitive to heat, friction, impact, light, and strong
oxidizing and reducing agents.
 Perchlorates: stable under normal conditions, but may become explosive when mixed
with combustible materials.
Potential Hazards
Fire/Explosion
Burning involves the oxidation of a combustible substance. Although most oxidizing materials
do not burn themselves, they can produces very flammable or explosive mixtures when
combined with combustible materials such as:

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 Organic materials such as paper, wood, flammable and combustible liquids, greases,
waxes, many plastics and textiles
 Finely divided metals
 Other oxidizable substances such as hydrazine, hydrogen, hydrides, sulfur or sulfur
compounds, phosphorous, silicon and ammonia or ammonia compounds
NFPA definitions of four categories of oxidizers, divided by the severity of risk when mixed
with other compounds:
 Class 1: An oxidizer that does not moderately increase the burn rate of another material.
 Class 2: An oxidizer that will moderately increase the burn rate.
 Class 3: An oxidizer that will cause a severe increase in burn rate.
 Class 4: An oxidizer that has the potential to lead to an explosive oxidation when
combined with other materials.
Depending on the material, oxidizing materials may be toxic or corrosive.
Hazard Controls
Personal Protective Equipment
 Use chemical splash goggles for eye protection. Wear a lab coat (100% cotton) and
closed-toe shoes with non-slip soles.
Handling Requirements
 Conduct procedures in a fume hood.
 Minimize the quantity of oxidizers stored in the work area.
 Keep oxidizers away from combustible materials; violent reactions may occur when
oxidizers are mixed with or contaminated by combustible materials.
 Exercise due care when mixing oxidizing agents and combustible materials for research.
Use very small amounts to reduce exothermia and control the reaction.
 NEVER pipette oxidizing liquids (or other chemicals) by mouth.
 Since some oxidizers may be shock sensitive, do not chip or grind lumps to break them
up. If crystals have precipitated in containers of an oxidizing agent, contact your health
and safety officer about their safe handling and disposal.
Labeling and Storage Requirements
 Store oxidizing materials away from other materials if possible. If separate storage is not
possible, store oxidizing materials away from incompatible materials especially organic
and other oxidizable materials.
 Store oxidizing materials in areas that are:
o Labelled with suitable warning signs.
o Well-ventilated.
o Supplied with adequate firefighting equipment including sprinklers, where
appropriate.

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o Supplied with suitable clean-up equipment and materials.

o Free of ignition sources.
o Accessible at all times.
Incident Response
Inhalation: Move to fresh air. Have victim rest in half-upright position. Get medical attention if
needed.
Skin Contact: In case of contact, immediately flush with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes
while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Wash clothing before reuse. Thoroughly clean
shoes before reuse. Get medical attention immediately if needed.
Eye Contact: Immediately flush eyes with warm water for 15 minutes and seek medical
attention.
Contact Supervisor, Chemical Health & Safety Coordinator (x22112) or EH&S (x24347) for
concerns with oxygen deficiency.
After hours or during an emergency contact 911.
Spill Clean-Up
 In the event of a small spill, evacuation may not be necessary if the area is well-
ventilated.
 In the event of a large chemical spill, follow these guidelines:
o Notify everyone in the immediate area and the supervisor.
o Evacuate personnel from the spill area.
o Deny entry.
o Alert other building occupants. Note: Evacuation of the building and its occupants
may be dependent on the volume of cryogen spilled and its relative hazard.
o Notify Chemical Health & Safety Coordinator (x22112) and/or EH&S (x24347).
References
Bouziane, A.M. (2009, Sept. 23). Standard Operating Procedure: Oxidizers [PDF]. Los Angeles:
USC Environmental Health & Safety. http://www.mtpinnacle.com/pdfs/CHPSOPoxidizer
2009.pdf

Canada, Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety. (15 July 2002). Oxidizing Liquids
& Solids – Hazards. https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/oxidizing/oxiziding_
hazards.html.

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Oxidizer SOP Training

Name Lab Group Date Signature

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Below is a list of oxidizers. This is not an all-inclusive list, just examples of common oxidizers.
NFPA Class 1 Oxidizers  Sodium permanganate
 Sodium chlorite (40% or less by
 Aluminum nitrate
weight)
 Ammonium persulfate
 Sodium perchlorate (and its
 Barium peroxide
monohydrate)
 Hydrogen peroxide solutions (8% to
 Sodium peroxide
27.5% by weight)
 Magnesium nitrate NFPA Class 3 Oxidizers
 Nitric acid (40% concentration or
 Ammonium dichromate
less)
 Hydrogen peroxide (52 to 91% by
 Perchloric acid solutions (less than
weight)
50% by weight)
 Nitric acid, fuming (concentration
 Potassium dichromate
greater than 86%)
 Potassium nitrate
 Perchloric acid solutions (60 to 72%
 Silver nitrate
by weight)
 Sodium dichloroisocyanurate
 Potassium bromate
dihydrate
 Potassium chlorate
 Sodium dichromate
 Potassium dichloroisocyanurate
 Sodium nitrate
 Sodium chlorate
 Sodium nitrite
 Sodium chlorite (greater than 40%
 Sodium perborate (and its
by weight)
monohydrate)
 Sodium dichloroisocyanurate
 Sodium persulfate
 Strontium nitrate NFPA Class 4 Oxidizers
 Strontium peroxide
 Ammonium perchlorate (particle size
 Trichloroisocyanuric acid greater than 15 microns)
 Zinc peroxide  Ammonium permanganate
NFPA Class 2 Oxidizers  Hydrogen peroxide (greater than
91% by weight)
 Calcium chlorate  Perchloric acid solutions (greater
 Calcium hypochlorite(50% or less by than 72.5% by weight)
weight)  Tetranitromethane
 Chromic acid (chromium trioxide)
 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin
 Hydrogen peroxide (27.5 to 52% by
weight)
 Magnesium perchlorate
 Nitric acid (concentration greater
than 40% but less than 86%)
 Potassium permanganate