Common Name: Manganese CAS Number: 7439-96-5 DOT Number: None Date: January, 1989 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Manganese can affect you when breathed in. * Repeated exposure can cause permanent brain damage. Early symptoms include poor appetite, weakness and sleepiness. Later effects include changes in speech, balance and personality. The later symptoms are identical to Parkinson's Disease. * Heated Manganese can release fumes causing a flu like illness with chills, fever and aching. Chest congestion resembling pneumonia can also occur. * Exposure may also cause a lung allergy. * It may damage the kidneys and liver. IDENTIFICATION Manganese is a reddish gray or silvery brittle, metallic element. It is used in making steel, dry cell batteries and potassium permanganate. REASON FOR CITATION * Manganese is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH and EPA. * Definitions are attached. HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. * If you think you are experiencing any work related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 5 mg/m3 as Manganese, not to be exceeded at any time. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 5 mg/m3 as Manganese for dust and compounds, which should not be exceeded at any time. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 1 mg/m3 as Manganese for fume averaged over an 8 hour workshift and 3 mg/m3 as Manganese for fume as a STEL (short term exposure limit). WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. * Wear protective work clothing. * Wash thoroughly at the end of the workshift. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and safety hazards of Manganese to potentially exposed workers. This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all potential and most severe health hazards that may result from exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential effects described below. ------------------------------------------ HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Acute Health Effects The following acute (short term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Manganese: * Exposure to heated Manganese fumes can cause "metal fume fever" with chills, fever and aching, lasting up to 24 hours. If shortness of breath occurs, Manganese "pneumonia" may be present, with congestion in the chest and coughing. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Manganese and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Manganese has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * There is limited evidence that Manganese may decrease fertility in males. Other Long Term Effects * Repeated exposure may cause gradual brain damage. Early effects include sleepiness, weakness and poor appetite. If exposure is stopped at this stage, damage may be temporary. Later effects include changes in speech, a loss of facial expression, personality changes, poor muscle coordination, changes in walking, muscle cramps, twitching and tremors. When later changes occur, some permanent brain damage can result and symptoms are identical to Parkinson's Disease. * Repeated exposure can cause a variety of changes in the blood count. Liver and/or kidney damage may also occur. * High or repeated exposure may damage the lungs. * Exposure may cause lung allergy (asthma) to develop with wheezing and shortness of breath. Once allergy develops, even low future exposures can cause symptoms. MEDICAL Medical Testing 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: * A complete exam of the nervous system. * Complete blood count. * Lung function tests. These may be normal if the person is not having an attack at the time of the test. * Kidney function tests. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following may be useful: * Consider chest x ray after acute over exposure. * Liver function tests. Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for damage already done are not a substitute for controlling exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.20. Mixed Exposures Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce your risk of developing health problems. WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary. In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous exposures. The following work practices are recommended: * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Manganese should change into clean clothing promptly. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family members could be exposed. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of exposure to Manganese. * Wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Manganese at the end of each workday, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Manganese is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating or smoking. * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may not apply to every situation. Clothing * Avoid skin contact with Manganese. Wear protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation. * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean, available each day, and put on before work. Eye Protection * Wear dust proof goggles when working with powders or dust, unless full face piece respiratory protection is worn. Respiratory Protection IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a written program that takes into account workplace conditions, requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134. * Where the potential exists for exposures over 1 mg/m3 of fume or over 5 mg/m3 of dust, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved respirator with a high efficiency particulate filter. More protection is provided by a full facepiece respirator than by a half mask respirator, and even greater protection is provided by a powered air purifying respirator. Particulate filters must be checked every day before work for physical damage, such as rips or tears, and replaced as needed. * If while wearing a filter, cartridge or canister respirator, you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect Manganese, or in the case of a full facepiece respirator you experience eye irritation, leave the area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator to face seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter, cartridge, or canister. If the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator. * Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may need a combination of filters, prefilters, cartridges, or canisters to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals. * Where the potential for high exposures exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied air respirator with a full face piece operated in the positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, hood, or helmet in the continuous flow mode. * Exposure to 10,000 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility of exposures above 10,000 ppm exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in continuous flow or other positive pressure mode. Common Name: Manganese DOT Number: None DOT Emergency Guide code: No Citation CAS Number: 7439-96-5 ---------------------------------------- NJ DOH Hazard rating FLAMMABILITY Not Found REACTIVITY Not Found ---------------------------------------- DECOMPOSES IN WATER DO NOT USE WATER ---------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Use dry chemicals appropriate for extinguishing metal fires. DO NOT USE WATER. * If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES If Manganese is spilled, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill or leak until cleanup is complete. * Collect powdered material in the most convenient and safe manner and deposit in sealed containers. * It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Manganese as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Environmental Program for specific recommendations. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Manganese you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Manganese must be stored to avoid contact with WATER and STEAM since flammable Hydrogen gas is produced. * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well ventilated area away from OXIDIZERS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES and NITRATES). * Protect storage against physical damage. FIRST AID POISON INFORMATION Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Skin Contact * Remove contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated skin with water. Breathing * Remove the person from exposure. * Begin rescue breathing if breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility. PHYSICAL DATA Vapor Pressure: 1 mm Hg at 2,240oF Water Solubility: Decomposes in water ------------------------------------------ Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial purposes. ------------------------------------------ NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Right to Know Program CN 368, Trenton, NJ 08625 0368 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION Manganese is a gray, hard, brittle metal which is used mainly as an alloying element and cleansing agent for steel, cast iron, and nonferrous metals. Manganese is essential to the steel industry where it is used in the form of an iron alloy. It occurs in many minerals that are widely distributed in the earth's crust and, in trace amounts, is an essential element for both plants and animals. The many different possible manganese compounds may enter the aquatic environment from natural and industrial sources. ACUTE (SHORT-TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Acute toxic effects may include the death of animals, birds, or fish, and death or low growth rate in plants. Acute effects are seen two to four days after animals or plants come in contact with a toxic chemical substance. Manganese and its compounds have moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short-term effects of manganese and its compounds to plants, birds, or land animals. CHRONIC (LONG-TERM) ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Chronic toxic effects may include shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behavior. Chronic effects can be seen long after first exposure(s) to a toxic chemical. Manganese and its compounds have moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long-term effects of manganese and its compounds to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Manganese and its compounds vary in their solubility in water from being very soluble to insoluble. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Manganese and its compounds are highly persistent in water, with half-lives greater than 200 days. The half-life of a pollutant is the amount of time it takes for one-half of the chemical to be degraded. BIOACCUMULATION IN AQUATIC ORGANISMS Some substances increase in concentration, or bioaccumulate, in living organisms as they breathe contaminated air, drink contaminated water, or eat contaminated food. These chemicals can become concentrated in the tissues and internal organs of animals and humans. The concentration of manganese and its compounds found in fish tissues is expected to be about the same as the average concentration of manganese in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA.