Formaldehyde

IF INHALED: Remove victim to fresh air and keep at rest in a position comfortable for breathing. Immediately call a Poison Centre or doctor/physician for advice. Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Transport to hospital or doctor without delay!

Symptoms: breathing is difficult

IF ON SKIN (or hair): Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. Immediately flush skin and hair with running water for at least 15 minutes. Immediately call a Poison Centre or doctor/physician for advice. Wash contaminated clothing and shoes before reuse. Transport to hospital or doctor without delay! Skin burns should be covered with dry, sterile bandages, following decontamination.

Symptoms: Skin burns, May cause an allergic skin reaction.

IF IN EYES: Immediately flush eyes with running water for several minutes, holding eyelids open and occasionally lifting the upper and lower lids. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do. Continue flushing until advised to stop by a Poisons Information Centre or a doctor, or for at least 15 minutes. Transport to hospital or doctor without delay! Continue to irrigate with normal saline during transport to hospital.

IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth, then give up to 200 ml water for dilution where patient is able to swallow. Do NOT induce vomiting. Immediately call a Poison Centre or doctor/physician for advice. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Transport to hospital or doctor without delay!

Use dry chemical, Carbon dioxide (CO2), alcohol-resistant foam or water spray for extinction. Choice of extinguishing media should take into account surrounding areas. Alcohol resistant foam is the preferred firefighting medium but, if it is not available, fine water spray can be used.

Combustible liquid: May be ignited by heat, sparks or flame. Mists containing combustible materials may be explosive. Vapours may form explosive mixtures with air. Vapours may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Most vapours are heavier than air and will collect in low or confined areas. Vapour explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers! Containers may explode when heated. Many liquids are lighter than water.

Alert Fire Brigade and tell them location and nature of hazard. If safe to do so, move undamaged containers from fire area. Do not approach containers suspected to be hot. Cool container with water spray until well after fire is out. Contain runoff from fire control or dilution water - Runoff may cause pollution. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard!

Ensure adequate ventilation - Ventilate enclosed spaces before entering. ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames in immediate area). All equipment used when handling the product must be grounded. Do not touch or walk through spilled material. Clean up all spills immediately! Do not breathe vapours and prevent contact with eyes, skin and clothing.

Immediately contact Police or Fire Brigade; Consider initial downwind evacuation of areas within at least 250 m. Dike far ahead of liquid spill for later disposal.

Spillages and decontamination runoff should be prevented from entering drains and watercourses. If contamination of drains or waterways occurs, advise emergency services. Drains for storage or use areas should have retention basins for pH adjustments and dilution of spills before discharge or disposal of material.

Absorb with earth, sand or other non-combustible material. Use clean, non-sparking tools to collect absorbed material and transfer to labelled containers for disposal (see SECTION 13). Collect recoverable product into labelled containers for recycling.

Materials: earth, sand or other non-combustible material.

Safety showers and eyewash facilities should be provided within the immediate work area for emergency use. Obtain special instructions before use - Do not handle until all safety precautions have been read and understood. Do not breathe gas/mist/vapours/spray and prevent contact with eyes, skin and clothing. Do not ingest. Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection (see SECTION 8). Combustible liquid: Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources - No smoking. Ground and bond container and receiving equipment. Avoid contact with moisture and incompatible materials.

Store in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight. Keep containers securely sealed when not in use. Protect containers against physical damage and check regularly for leaks. Avoid exposure to light and air. Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources - No smoking. Keep away from food/feedstuffs and incompatible materials (see SECTION 10). Store locked up.

Combustible liquid: Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources - No smoking. Ground and bond container and receiving equipment. Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources - No smoking.

A system of local and/or general exhaust is recommended to keep employee exposures as low as possible. Local exhaust ventilation is generally preferred because it can control the emissions of the contaminant at its source, preventing dispersion of it into the general work area.

Wear protective gloves. Recommended: Long (elbow-length) impervious gloves, e.g. PVC, Vinyl gloves (excellent protection); NR latex, Nitrile and Neoprene (good protection).

Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact. Recommended: Chemical goggles. Full face shield may be required for supplementary but never for primary protection of eyes.

In case of inadequate ventilation, wear respiratory protection. Recommended: Type BAX Filter of sufficient capacity (refer to AS/NZS 1715 & 1716). Cartridge respirators should never be used for emergency ingress or in areas of unknown vapour concentrations or oxygen content. The wearer must be warned to leave the contaminated area immediately on detecting any odours through the respirator.

Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact. Recommended: Overalls, PVC Apron. PVC protective suit may be required if exposure severe. Wear safety footwear or safety gumboots, e.g. Rubber. When handling corrosive liquids, wear trousers or overalls outside of boots, to avoid spills entering boots.

Product is considered stable. Unstable in the presence of incompatible materials.

At elevated temperatures, oxidation of formaldehyde produces formic acid. Reacts with mild steel, galvanised steel/zinc liberating flammable hydrogen gas.

Hazardous polymerisation will not occur.

Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames and other ignition sources. Avoid exposure to light and air.

Incompatible/reactive with strong oxidisers, alkalis and acids, phenols, urea, oxides, isocyanates, caustics, anhydrides.

Fire/decomposition will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases, including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), other pyrolysis products typical of burning organic material. May emit acrid smoke.