Rhodium

Guidance on Safe Use

First-aid measures

Description of first aid measures

Eye contact: Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water, occasionally lifting the upper and lower eyelids. Check for and remove any contact lenses. Get medical attention if irritation occurs.

Inhalation: Remove victim to fresh air and keep at rest in a position comfortable for breathing. Get medical attention if symptoms occur.

Skin contact: Flush contaminated skin with plenty of water. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Get medical attention if symptoms occur.

Ingestion: Wash out mouth with water. Remove victim to fresh air and keep at rest in a position comfortable for breathing. If material has been swallowed and the exposed person is conscious, give small quantities of water to drink. Do not induce vomiting unless directed to do so by medical personnel. Get medical attention if symptoms occur.

Protection of first-aiders: No action shall be taken involving any personal risk or without suitable training.

Most important symptoms and effects, both acute and delayed

Potential acute health effects:

Eye contact: Exposure to airborne concentrations above statutory or recommended exposure limits may cause irritation of the eyes.

Inhalation: Exposure to airborne concentrations above statutory or recommended exposure limits may cause irritation of the nose, throat and lungs.

Skin contact: No known significant effects or critical hazards.

Ingestion: No known significant effects or critical hazards.

Over-exposure signs/symptoms:

Eye contact: Adverse symptoms may include the following: irritation, redness

Inhalation: Adverse symptoms may include the following: respiratory tract irritation, coughing

Skin contact: No specific data.

Ingestion: No specific data.

Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed

Notes to physician:

Specific treatments: No specific treatment.

Fire-fighting measures

Extinguishing media

Suitable extinguishing media: Use an extinguishing agent suitable for the surrounding fire.

Unsuitable extinguishing media: None known.

Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture

Hazards from the substance or mixture: No specific fire or explosion hazard.

Hazardous thermal decomposition products: Decomposition products may include the following materials: metal oxide/oxides

Advice for firefighters

Special protective actions for fire-fighters: Promptly isolate the scene by removing all persons from the vicinity of the incident if there is a fire. No action shall be taken involving any personal risk or without suitable training.

Special protective equipment for fire-fighters: Fire-fighters should wear appropriate protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with a full face-piece operated in positive pressure mode. Clothing for fire-fighters (including helmets, protective boots and gloves) conforming to European standard EN 469 will provide a basic level of protection for chemical incidents.

Remark: The residue, ash or char left after a fire may have catalytic properties and may promote the re-ignition of flammable materials and vapours.

Accidental release measures

Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures

For non-emergency personnel: No action shall be taken involving any personal risk or without suitable training. Evacuate surrounding areas. Keep unnecessary and unprotected personnel from entering. Do not touch or walk through spilt material. Avoid breathing dust. Put on appropriate personal protective equipment.

For emergency responders: If specialised clothing is required to deal with the spillage, take note of any information in Section 8 on suitable and unsuitable materials. See also the information in "For non-emergency personnel".

Environmental precautions: Avoid dispersal of spilt material and runoff and contact with soil, waterways, drains and sewers. Inform the relevant authorities if the product has caused environmental pollution (sewers, waterways, soil or air).

Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up

Small spill:

Large spill: Move containers from spill area. Approach the release from upwind. Prevent entry into sewers, water courses, basements or confined areas. Vacuum or sweep up material and place in a designated, labelled waste container. Avoid creating dusty

conditions and prevent wind dispersal. Dispose of via a licensed waste disposal contractor.

Reference to other sections:

See Section 1 for emergency contact information.

See Section 8 for information on appropriate personal protective equipment.

See Section 13 for additional waste treatment information.

Handling and storage

The information in this section contains generic advice and guidance. The list of Identified Uses in Section 1 should be consulted for any available use-specific information provided in the Exposure Scenario(s).

Precautions for safe handling

Protective measures: Put on appropriate personal protective equipment (see Section 8). Avoid breathing dust.

Advice on general occupational hygiene: Eating, drinking and smoking should be prohibited in areas where this material is handled, stored and processed. Workers should wash hands and face before eating, drinking and smoking. Remove contaminated clothing and protective equipment before entering eating areas. See also Section 8 for additional information on hygiene measures.

Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities

Store in accordance with local regulations. Store in original container protected from direct sunlight in a dry, cool and well-ventilated area, away from incompatible materials (see Section 10) and food and drink. Keep container tightly closed and sealed until ready for use. Containers that have been opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage. Do not store in unlabelled containers. Use appropriate containment to avoid environmental contamination.

Specific end use(s)

Recommendations: Not available.

Industrial sector specific solutions: Not available.

Transport information

Land transport (UN RTDG/ADR/RID)

UN number:

Not regulated.

Shipping

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Environmental hazards: No

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

UN number:

Not regulated.

Shipping

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Environmental hazards: No

Marine transport (UN RTDG/IMDG)

UN number:

Not regulated.

Shipping

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Environmental hazards: No

Air transport (UN RTDG/ICAO/IATA)

UN number:

Not regulated.

Shipping

Special provisions / remarks

Remarks:

Environmental hazards: No

Additional transport information

Additional information

Special provisions / remarks / other:

Special precautions for user:
Transport in bulk according to Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 and the IBC Code: Not available

Exposure controls / personal protection

The information in this section contains generic advice and guidance. The list of Identified Uses in Section 1 should be consulted for any available use-specific information provided in the Exposure Scenario(s).

Control parameters:

Occupational exposure limits

Product/ingredient name: rhodium

Exposure limit values: EH40/2005 WELs (United Kingdom (UK), 12/2011). TWA: 0.1 mg/m³, (as Rh) 8 hours. Form: Dust and fumes. STEL: 0.3 mg/m³, (as Rh) 15 minutes. Form: Dust and fumes.

Recommended monitoring procedures: If this product contains ingredients with exposure limits, personal, workplace atmosphere or biological monitoring may be required to determine the effectiveness of the ventilation or other control measures and/or the necessity to use respiratory protective equipment. Reference should be made to monitoring standards, such as the following: European Standard EN 689 (Workplace atmospheres - Guidance for the assessment of exposure by inhalation to chemical agents for comparison with limit values and measurement strategy) European Standard EN 14042 (Workplace atmospheres - Guide for the application and use of procedures for the assessment of exposure to chemical and biological agents) European Standard EN 482

(Workplace atmospheres - General requirements for the performance of procedures for the measurement of chemical agents) Reference to national guidance documents for methods for the determination of hazardous substances will also be required.

DNELs/DMELs: No DNELs/DMELs available.

PNECs: No PNECs available

Exposure controls:

Appropriate engineering controls: Use only with adequate ventilation. If user operations generate dust, fumes, gas, vapour or mist, use process enclosures, local exhaust ventilation or other engineering controls to keep worker exposure to airborne contaminants below any recommended or statutory limits.

Individual protection measures

Hygiene measures: Wash hands, forearms and face thoroughly after handling chemical products, before eating, smoking and using the lavatory and at the end of the working period. Appropriate techniques should be used to remove potentially contaminated clothing. Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are close to the workstation location.

Eye/face protection: Safety eyewear complying with an approved standard should be used when a risk assessment indicates this is necessary to avoid exposure to liquid splashes, mists, gases or dusts. If contact is possible, the following protection should be worn, unless the assessment indicates a higher degree of protection: safety glasses with side-shields. If operating conditions cause high dust concentrations to be produced, use dust goggles.

Skin protection

Hand protection: Chemical-resistant, impervious gloves complying with an approved standard should be worn at all times when handling chemical products if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary.

Body protection: Personal protective equipment for the body should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product.

Other skin protection: Appropriate footwear and any additional skin protection measures should be selected based on the task being performed and the risks involved and should be approved by a specialist before handling this product.

Respiratory protection: Use a properly fitted, particulate filter respirator complying with an approved standard if a risk assessment indicates this is necessary. Respirator selection must be based on known or anticipated exposure levels, the hazards of the product and the safe working limits of the selected respirator.

Environmental exposure controls: Emissions from ventilation or work process equipment should be checked to ensure they comply with the requirements of environmental protection legislation. In some cases, fume scrubbers, filters or engineering modifications to the process equipment will be necessary to reduce emissions to acceptable levels.

Stability and reactivity

Reactivity: No specific test data related to reactivity available for this product or its ingredients.

Chemical stability: The catalytic properties of this material may give it a low ignition temperature (except when supplied as a paste). The catalytic properties will also promote the oxidation and possible ignition of flammable liquids and vapours. A used, filtered

catalyst should, therefore, be kept wet and out of contact with combustible vapours and liquids. The material is supplied in a stable condition and other than the previously mentioned catalytic hazards of this material, no specific reactive hazards are known.

Possibility of hazardous reactions: Under normal conditions of storage and use, hazardous reactions will not occur.

Conditions to avoid: No specific data.

Incompatible materials: No specific data.

Hazardous decomposition products: Under normal conditions of storage and use, hazardous decomposition products should not be produced.

Disposal considerations

The information in this section contains generic advice and guidance. The list of Identified Uses in Section 1 should be consulted for any available use-specific information provided in the Exposure Scenario(s).

Waste treatment methods

Product

Methods of disposal: The generation of waste should be avoided or minimised wherever possible. Avoid dispersal of spilt material and runoff and contact with soil, waterways, drains and sewers. Empty containers or liners may retain some product residues. Dispose of surplus and non-recyclable products via a licensed waste disposal contractor. Return accumulated waste material to the refinery for metal recovery, or dispose of in accordance with local and national regulations.

Hazardous waste: Within the present knowledge of the supplier, this product is not regarded as hazardous waste, as defined by EU Directive 91/689/EEC.

Packaging

Methods of disposal: The generation of waste should be avoided or minimised wherever possible. Waste packaging should be recycled. Incineration or landfill should only be considered when recycling is not feasible.

Special precautions: This material and its container must be disposed of in a safe way. Empty containers or liners may retain some product residues. Avoid dispersal of spilt material and runoff and contact with soil, waterways, drains and sewers.