AMMONIUM NITRATE LIQUID

Remove to fresh air. If breathing is difficult, (trained personnel should) give oxygen. Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Get medical attention immediately if symptoms occur.

Symptoms: Irritation. headache, dizziness, weakness and dyspnoea occur when methemoglobin concentrations are 30% to 40%; at levels of about 60% stupor, convulsions, coma and respiratory paralysis occur and the blood is a chocolate brown colour. At higher levels death may result.

Wash off immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Contact with product at elevated temperatures can result in thermal burns. For skin burns, cool skin area with rapidly with cold water. Remove clothing if contaminated and wash skin.

Symptoms: Irritation. Contact with product at elevated temperatures can result in thermal burns. Nitrates can be absorbed through cut, burnt or broken skin.

Rinse immediately with plenty of water, also under the eyelids, for at least 15 minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing. Keep eye wide open while rinsing. Do not rub affected area. Remove clothing if contaminated and wash skin. Contact with molten materials requires immediate medical assistance.

Symptoms: Irritation. May cause redness and tearing of the eyes. Contact with hot material can cause thermal burns.

Rinse mouth immediately and drink plenty of water. Do NOT induce vomiting. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get immediate medical attention.

Symptoms: The smooth muscle relaxant effect of nitrate/nitrite salts may lead to headache, dizziness and marked hypotension. Cyanosis is clinically detectable when approximately 15% of the haemoglobin has been converted to methaemoglobin (ferric iron). Symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness and dyspnoea occur when methemoglobin concentrations are 30% to 40%; at levels of about 60% stupor, convulsions, coma and respiratory paralysis occur and the blood is a chocolate brown colour. At higher levels death may result.

Water spray. Flood fire area with water from a distance.

Carbon dioxide (CO2). Dry chemical. Extinguishing methods based on smothering are ineffective in the case of oxidizing agents.

WARNING: Explosion risk in case of fire, especially if contaminated or confined. Molten product may explode from friction, shock or containment. In the case of an intense fire evacuate all personnel to at least 1000 m. Oxidizing substance. Increases intensity of a fire, even in the absence of oxygen. Ammonium nitrate on its own is not combustible, however, it supports the combustion of other materials. Contact with combustible material may cause fire. Decomposes on heating emitting irritating white fumes and/or brown fumes. Brown fumes indicate the presence of toxic oxides of nitrogen. Containers may explode when heated.

Fight fire from a protected location. Cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well after fire is out. If safe to do so, remove containers from path of fire. If safe to do so, prevent molten material from being confined in drains, pipes, etc.

Keep people away from and upwind of spill/leak. Evacuate personnel to safe areas. ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames in immediate area). Do not touch or walk through spilled material. Do not touch damaged containers or spilled material unless wearing appropriate protective clothing. Ensure adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Use personal protective equipment as required. Wash thoroughly after handling. Caution: material can be very hot and contact may result in thermal burns.

Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas. Do not flush into surface water or sanitary sewer system. Prevent product from entering drains. Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Local authorities should be advised if significant spillages cannot be contained.

Use a non-combustible material like vermiculite, sand or earth to soak up the product and place into a container for later disposal. Never return spill or leaks to original containers for re-use. Wash area down with excess water. Ensure that contaminated material (clothing, pallets) is thoroughly washed.

Materials: vermiculite, sand or earth

Hot ammonium nitrate liquid can cause severe burns due to its temperature and the oxidising properties of ammonium nitrate. Avoid skin and eye contact and breathing in vapour, mists and aerosols. A significant risk of exposure exists when clearing blocked lines or valves. Extreme care should be taken in this situation to avoid contact with the material. Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice. Handle with care. Ensure adequate ventilation. Use personal protection equipment. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Wash thoroughly after handling. Take off contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. Keep out of reach of children. Do not mix with other chemicals.

Store in a compatible, insulated, heated, bunded tank away from combustible materials. Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4326 (2008) provides further guidance on storage. Store away from incompatible materials described in Section 10.

Remove and wash contaminated clothing and gloves, including the inside, before re-use. Regular cleaning of equipment, work area and clothing is recommended. Wash hands before breaks and immediately after handling the product. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Wear suitable gloves and eye/face protection.

Store away from combustible materials.

Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are close to the workstation location. Apply technical measures to comply with the occupational exposure limits. If in the handling and application of this material, safe exposure levels could be exceeded, the use of engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation must be considered and the results documented. If achieving safe exposure levels does not require engineering controls, then a detailed and documented risk assessment using the relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (refer to PPE section below) as a basis must be carried out to determine the minimum PPE requirements. Apply technical measures to comply with occupational exposure limits.

Elbow-length impervious gloves.

Tight sealing safety goggles. If splashes are likely to occur.: Face protection shield.

If determined by a risk assessment an inhalation risk exists, wear an air supplied respirator meeting the requirements of AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716.

Rubber boots. Chemical resistant apron. Splash apron or equivalent chemical impervious outer garment. Impervious clothing. Heat resistant overalls.

No information available.

Ammonium nitrate is a powerful oxidising agent. When heated to decomposition (unconfined) it produces nitrous oxide, white ammonium nitrate fumes and water. When mixed with strong acids, and occasionally during blasting, it produces an irritating toxic brown gas, mostly of nitrogen dioxide. When molten may decompose violently due to shock or pressure.

Oxidizer.

Oxidizing agent. Supports combustion of other materials and increases intensity of a fire. Will react with organic materials, and reducing agents. Reacts with nitrites, chlorides, chlorates, permanganates, metal powders. When mixed with strong acids, and occasionally during blasting, it produces an irritating toxic brown gas, mostly of nitrogen dioxide. When molten (such as in a fire situation) may decompose violently due to shock or pressure. Contamination with chlorine bleaches, pool chlorine, hypochlorites may result in the formation of explosive nitrogen trichloride. Heating can cause expansion or decomposition of the material, which can lead to the containers exploding. Hazardous polymerization does not occur.

Incompatible materials. Avoid contact with combustible substances.

Incompatible with reducing agents. Incompatible with combustible materials. Incompatible with strong acids and bases. Incompatible with copper, zinc, brass and bronze.

Nitrogen oxides. Ammonia. Nitric acid. Ammonium nitrate fumes.