Chemical Safety / MSDS :- React to Reactive Chemical Hazards

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Chapter : Chemical Safety / MSDS

React to Reactive Chemical Hazards

Reactive chemicals are among the most dangerous because they can suddenly explode or cause fires. Make sure your employees know how to handle these hazardous materials and prevent potentially serious injuries.

Reactive chemicals may react with air, water, or other chemicals. Some reactive chemicals are even self-reactive.

These substances may also be sensitive to shock, heat, or friction, and exposure to any of these may result in a fire or an explosion. Furthermore, chemical by-products from reactive chemicals may be corrosive, poisonous, or flammable.

Another big problem is that chemical reactions may be started by accident—for example, unintentionally bringing two incompatible materials into contact.

Reactive chemicals may also be intentionally mixed to manufacture products, but even such controlled reactions can be hazardous. For example:

• Losing containment or control of the intended reaction
• Starting another unintended reaction
• Starting a side reaction or series of reactions that are not expected

Reactive chemicals can also create a fire hazard due to:

• Friction
• Absorption of moisture, which may cause some water-reactive materials to heat up
• Spontaneous chemical changes, which often generate heat
• Retained heat from manufacturing or processing
• Vigorous and persistent burning.

And as if all that isn't enough, reactive chemicals can be hazardous to health in various ways as well. For example they can:

• Irritate or burn eyes, skin, throat
• Form severely corrosive acids or be toxic
• Cause dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions, which can be fatal
• Cause asphyxiation and death

Accident Prevention

Reactive chemicals include:

1. Pyrophoric chemicals ignite spontaneously on short exposure to air under ordinary conditions without an ignition source.
2. Peroxide formers will react with oxygen in the atmosphere to form unstable peroxides, which in turn might explosively decompose if concentrated
3. Water-reactive will chemically react with water, causing thermal burns, igniting combustibles, and giving off corrosive and toxic gases
4. Oxidizers readily yield oxygen to promote or initiate combustion.
5. Self-reactive will self-react, often with accelerating or explosive.