Common Name: Silver CAS Number: 7440-22-4 DOT Number: None Date: July, 1986 ----------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY * Silver can affect you when breathed in. * Repeated exposure to fine Silver dust or fumes can cause blue- grey staining of the eyes, mouth, throat, internal organs and skin. This occurs slowly and may take years to develop. Once present, it does not go away. It can be very disfiguring. * Skin contact can cause Silver to become imbedded in small cuts in the skin, forming a permanent tattoo. IDENTIFICATION Silver is a brilliant, soft, white metal. It is used in making jewelry, silverware and mirrors. It is also used in photography and in solders and electroplating. REASON FOR CITATION * Silver is on the Hazardous Substance List because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH. 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 0.01 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.1 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. * Silver may form metal fumes which present different hazards than the substance itself. 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 work-shift. * 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 Silver 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 Silver: * With eye contact, fragments of Silver metal or metal dust can scratch the surface of the eye and become imbedded there, forming permanent blue-grey stains in the eye. * Metal fragments can also enter small cuts in the skin, forming a permanent tattoo. Chronic Health Effects The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at some time after exposure to Silver and can last for months or years: Cancer Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Silver has not been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals. Reproductive Hazard * According to the information presently available to the New Jersey Department of Health, Silver has not been tested for its ability to affect reproduction. Other Long-Term Effects * Breathing fine Silver dust or fumes can gradually cause the eyes, nails, inner nose, mouth, throat, internal organs and skin to turn a blue-grey color. This usually takes 2-20 years but is permanent, and can be very disfiguring. This condition is cal led "argyria". * Repeated exposure can cause clouding in the cornea of the eye. This can cause problems with vision, especially at night. * High, repeated exposure to Silver may cause kidney damage. Medical Testing Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, for those with frequent or potentially high exposures, the following are recommended: * Slit lamp exam by an eye doctor. * Exam of the skin, nose and throat. If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the following may be useful: * Kidney 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. 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 Silver 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 Silver. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. * On skin contact with Silver, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Silver, whether or not known skin contact has occurred. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Silver 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 cleanup. Do not dry sweep. * When vacuuming, a high efficiency particulate absolute (HEPA) filter should be used, not a standard shop vacuum. 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 Silver. 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 0.01 mg/m3, 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 Silver, 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 or fume) or against a mixture of chemicals. * Where the potential for high exposures exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in the positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, hood, or helmet in the continuous flow mode, or use a MSHA/NIOSH ap proved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode. Common Name: Silver DOT Number: None DOT Emergency Guide code: CAS Number: 7440-22-4 ----------------------------------------- Hazard rating NJ DOH NFPA FLAMMABILITY - Not Rated REACTIVITY - Not Rated ---------------------------------------- DO NOT USE WATER TOXIC FUMES MAY BE PRODUCED IN FIRE COMBUSTIBLE POWDER --------------------------------------- Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious; 4=severe FIRE HAZARDS * Silver Powder is a COMBUSTIBLE SOLID. * Toxic fumes may be produced in fire. * 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 Silver is spilled, take the following steps: * Restrict persons not wearing protective equipment from area of spill until clean-up 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 Silver as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. ========================================== FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire department. ========================================== HANDLING AND STORAGE * Prior to working with Silver you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. * Silver must be stored to avoid contact with ACETYLENE, AMMONIA, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, or ETHYLENE IMENE since violent reactions occur. FIRST AID Eye Contact * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek medical attention since prompt removal of fragments can help prevent staining. Skin Contact * If skin contact to Silver dust or small metal fragments over skin areas having small cuts has occurred, medical attention is recommended to remove the fragments before tattooing occurs. PHYSICAL DATA Water Solubility: Insoluble Other Names and Formulations: Argentum; Shell Silver. ------------------------------------------ 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 Silver is a naturally occurring metal in the earth's crust. It is used to make coins, tableware, mirrors, jewelry, electroplating and in electrical conductors. Silver containing compounds are used in photography, as an anti-infective, as a reagent, and to seed clouds causing precipitation. Because of its wide use, silver enters the environment in non-point as well as specific discharges such as industrial and municipal effluents. 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. The toxicity of silver to aquatic life is probably dependent on water hardness - the harder the water, the higher the concentration of silver needed to be toxic. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the short-term effects of silver 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. Silver and its compounds have high chronic toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate or predict the long-term effects of silver to plants, birds, or land animals. WATER SOLUBILITY Some silver compounds are highly soluble in water and others less soluble. DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE IN THE ENVIRONMENT Silver is highly persistent in water, with a half-life 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 silver found in fish tissues is expected to be much higher than the average concentration of silver in the water from which the fish was taken. SUPPORT DOCUMENT: AQUIRE Database, ERL-Duluth, U.S. EPA.