2-hexyloxyethanol

Guidance on Safe Use

First-aid measures

Eye Contact: Immediately flush eyes with water; remove contact lenses, if present, after the first 5 minutes, then continue flushing eyes for at least 15 minutes. Obtain medical attention without delay, preferably from an ophthalmologist.  

Skin Contact: Immediate continued and thorough washing in flowing water for at least 30 minutes is imperative while removing contaminated clothing. Prompt medical consultation is essential. Wash clothing before reuse. Properly dispose of leather items such as shoes, belts, and watchbands.  Discard items which cannot be decontaminated, including leather articles such as shoes, belts and watchbands.  

Inhalation: Move person to fresh air; if effects occur, consult a physician.  

Ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Give one cup (8 ounces or 240 ml) of water or milk if available and transport to a medical facility.   Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.  

Notes to Physician: Due to irritant properties, swallowing may result in burns/ulceration of mouth, stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract with subsequent stricture. Aspiration of vomitus may cause lung injury. Suggest endotracheal/esophageal control if lavage is done.  If burn is present, treat as any thermal burn, after decontamination.  No specific antidote.  Treatment of exposure should be directed at the control of symptoms and the clinical condition of the patient.  

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure: Repeated excessive exposure may aggravate preexisting anemia.  

Fire-fighting measures

Extinguishing Media: Water fog or fine spray.  Dry chemical fire extinguishers.  Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers.  Foam.  Alcohol resistant foams (ATC type) are preferred. General purpose synthetic foams (including AFFF) or protein foams may function, but will be less effective.  

Fire Fighting Procedures: Keep people away.  Isolate fire and deny unnecessary entry.  Use water spray to cool fire exposed containers and fire affected zone until fire is out and danger of reignition has passed.  Fight fire from protected location or safe distance. Consider the use of unmanned hose holders or monitor nozzles.  Immediately withdraw all personnel from the area in case of rising sound from venting safety device or discoloration of the container.  Burning liquids may be extinguished by dilution with water.  Do not use direct water stream.  May spread fire.  Move container from fire area if this is possible without hazard.  Burning liquids may be moved by flushing with water to protect personnel and minimize property damage.  

Special Protective Equipment for Firefighters: Wear positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and protective fire fighting clothing (includes fire fighting helmet, coat, trousers, boots, and gloves).  Avoid contact with this material during fire fighting operations. If contact is likely, change to full chemical resistant fire fighting clothing with self-contained breathing apparatus.  If this is not available, wear full chemical resistant clothing with self-contained breathing apparatus and fight fire from a remote location.  For protective equipment in post-fire or non-fire clean-up situations, refer to the relevant sections.  

Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: Container may rupture from gas generation in a fire situation.  Violent steam generation or eruption may occur upon application of direct water stream to hot liquids.  

Hazardous Combustion Products: During a fire, smoke may contain the original material in addition to combustion products of varying composition which may be toxic and/or irritating.  Combustion products may include and are not limited to:  Carbon monoxide.  Carbon dioxide.  

Accidental release measures

Steps to be Taken if Material is Released or Spilled: Small spills:  Absorb with materials such as:  Sand.  Vermiculite.  Collect in suitable and properly labeled containers.  Large spills:  Contain spilled material if possible.  Pump into suitable and properly labeled containers.  

Personal Precautions: Evacuate area.  Ventilate area of leak or spill.  Only trained and properly protected personnel must be involved in clean-up operations.  Keep unnecessary and unprotected personnel from entering the area.  Keep upwind of spill.  Use appropriate safety equipment.  

Environmental Precautions: Prevent from entering into soil, ditches, sewers, waterways and/or groundwater.   Material will float on water.  

Handling and storage

Handling

General Handling: Do not swallow.  Avoid contact with eyes.  Do not get on skin or clothing.  Wash thoroughly after handling.  Keep container closed.  Use with adequate ventilation.  

Other Precautions: Containers, even those that have been emptied, can contain vapors. Do not cut, drill, grind, weld, or perform similar operations on or near empty containers.  Spills of these organic materials on hot fibrous insulations may lead to lowering of the autoignition temperatures possibly resulting in spontaneous combustion.  

Storage

Store in the following material(s):  Carbon steel.  Stainless steel.  Phenolic lined steel drums.  Do not store in:  Aluminum.  Copper.  Galvanized iron.  Galvanized steel.

Transport information

Land transport (UN RTDG/ADR/RID)

UN number:

UN2922

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CORROSIVE LIQUID, TOXIC, NOS

Chemical name:

ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOHEXYL ETHER

Language:

English

Labels:

Class 8 Hazard Corrosive Substances (No. 8)
Class 6.1 Hazard Toxic Substances (No. 6.1)

SpecialProvisions

Inland waterway transport (UN RTDG/ADN(R))

UN number:

UN2922

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CORROSIVE LIQUID, TOXIC, N.O.S.

Chemical name:

ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOHEXYL ETHER

Language:

English

Labels:

Class 8 Hazard Corrosive Substances (No. 8)
Class 6.1 Hazard Toxic Substances (No. 6.1)

Remarks

Marine transport (UN RTDG/IMDG)

UN number:

UN2922

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CORROSIVE LIQUID, TOXIC, NOS

Chemical name:

ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOHEXYL ETHER

Labels:

Class 8 Hazard Corrosive Substances (No. 8)
Class 6.1 Hazard Toxic Substances (No. 6.1)

Remarks

Air transport (UN RTDG/ICAO/IATA)

UN number:

UN2922

Shipping information

Proper shipping name and description:

CORROSIVE LIQUID, TOXIC, NOS

Chemical name:

ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOHEXYL ETHER

Labels:

Class 8 Hazard Corrosive Substances (No. 8)
Class 6.1 Hazard Toxic Substances (No. 6.1)

Remarks

Additional transport information

Additional information

Special provisions / remarks / other:

Cargo Packing Instruction: 812
Passenger Packing Instruction: 808

Exposure controls / personal protection

Personal Protection

Eye/Face Protection: Use chemical goggles.  Chemical goggles should be consistent with EN 166 or equivalent.  

Skin Protection: Use protective clothing chemically resistant to this material.  Selection of specific items such as face shield, boots, apron, or full body suit will depend on the task.  Safety shower should be located in immediate work area.  Remove contaminated clothing immediately, wash skin area with soap and water, and launder clothing before reuse or dispose of properly.  Items which cannot be decontaminated, such as shoes, belts and watchbands, should be removed and disposed of properly.  

Hand protection: Use chemical resistant gloves classified under Standard EN374: Protective gloves against chemicals and micro-organisms.  Examples of preferred glove barrier materials include:  Butyl rubber.  Ethyl vinyl alcohol laminate ("EVAL").  Examples of acceptable glove barrier materials include:  Natural rubber ("latex").  Neoprene.  Nitrile/butadiene rubber ("nitrile" or "NBR").  Polyvinyl chloride ("PVC" or "vinyl").  Viton.  When prolonged or frequently repeated contact may occur, a glove with a protection class of 6 (breakthrough time greater than 480 minutes according to EN 374) is recommended.  When only brief contact is expected, a glove with a protection class of 3 or higher (breakthrough time greater  than 60 minutes according to EN 374) is recommended.  NOTICE: The selection of a specific glove for a particular application and duration of use in a workplace should also take into account all relevant workplace factors such as, but not limited to: Other chemicals which may be handled, physical requirements (cut/puncture protection, dexterity, thermal protection), potential body reactions to glove materials, as well as the instructions/specifications provided by the glove supplier.  

Respiratory Protection: Respiratory protection should be worn when there is a potential to exceed the exposure limit requirements or guidelines.  If there are no applicable exposure limit requirements or guidelines, wear respiratory protection when adverse effects, such as respiratory irritation or discomfort have been experienced, or where indicated by your risk assessment process.  For most conditions, no respiratory protection should be needed; however, if material is heated or sprayed, use an approved air-purifying respirator.  Use the following CE approved air-purifying respirator:  Organic vapor cartridge, type A (boiling point >65 ºC)  

Ingestion: Avoid ingestion of even very small amounts; do not consume or store food or tobacco in the work area; wash hands and face before smoking or eating.  

Engineering Controls

Ventilation: Use local exhaust ventilation, or other engineering controls to maintain airborne levels below exposure limit requirements or guidelines.  If there are no applicable exposure limit requirements or guidelines, general ventilation should be sufficient for most operations.  Local exhaust ventilation may be necessary for some operations.  

Stability and reactivity

Stability/Instability

Thermally stable at typical use temperatures.  

Conditions to Avoid: Do not distill to dryness.  Product can oxidize at elevated temperatures.  Generation of gas during decomposition can cause pressure in closed systems.  

Incompatible Materials: Avoid contact with:  Strong acids.  Strong oxidizers.  Strong bases.  

Hazardous Polymerization

Will not occur.  

Thermal Decomposition

Decomposition products depend upon temperature, air supply and the presence of other materials.  Decomposition products can include and are not limited to:  Aldehydes.  Ketones.  Organic acids.  

Disposal considerations

This product, when being disposed of in its unused and uncontaminated state should be treated as a hazardous waste according to EC Directive 91/689/EEC.  Any disposal practices must be in compliance with all national and provincial laws and any municipal or local by-laws governing hazardous waste.  For used, contaminated and residual materials additional evaluations may be required.  Do not dump into any sewers, on the ground, or into any body of water.