Right to Know

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet

Common Name: SODIUM HYDROXIDE
CAS Number: 1310-73-2
Synonyms: Caustic Soda; Lye; Sodium Hydrate
RTK Substance Number: 1706
Chemical Name: Sodium Hydroxide
DOT Number: UN 1823 (solid)
Date: April 2010 Revision: November 2015
UN 1824 (solution)

Description and Use EMERGENCY RESPONDERS >>>> SEE LAST PAGE

Sodium Hydroxide is an odorless, white solid that absorbs Hazard Summary
moisture from the air. It is used to make textiles, cellophane, Hazard Rating NJDHSS NFPA
and pulp and paper, in soaps and detergents, and for etching HEALTH - 3
and electroplating. FLAMMABILITY - 0
REACTIVITY - 1
CORROSIVE
DO NOT USE WATER
Reasons for Citation
 Sodium Hydroxide is on the Right to Know Hazardous Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate; 3=serious;
4=severe
Substance List because it is cited by OSHA, ACGIH, DOT,
NIOSH, NFPA and EPA.
 This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance  Sodium Hydroxide can affect you when inhaled and by
List. passing through the skin.
 Sodium Hydroxide is a HIGHLY CORROSIVE CHEMICAL
and contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes
with possible eye damage.
 Contact can irritate the mouth, nose and throat.
 Inhaling Sodium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs. Higher
SEE GLOSSARY ON PAGE 5. exposures may cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs
(pulmonary edema), a medical emergency.
FIRST AID  Repeated exposure can lead to permanent lung damage.
Eye Contact  Sodium Hydroxide in contact with water or moisture may
 Quickly brush off excess chemical from the face. generate enough heat to ignite combustibles.
Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 30
minutes, lifting upper and lower lids. Remove contact
lenses, if worn, while flushing. Seek medical attention Workplace Exposure Limits
immediately. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is
2 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
Skin Contact
 Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately blot or
brush off excess chemical and wash gently with large NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is
amounts water for at least 30 minutes. Seek medical 2 mg/m3, which should not be exceeded at any time.
attention immediately.
ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 2 mg/m3, which
Inhalation
should not be exceeded at any time.
 Remove the person from exposure.
 Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if
breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped.  The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin
 Transfer promptly to a medical facility. contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though
 Medical observation is recommended for 24 to 48 hours after air levels are less than the limits listed above.
overexposure, as pulmonary edema may be delayed.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
CHEMTREC: 1-800-424-9300
NJDEP Hotline: 1-877-927-6337
National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802
SODIUM HYDROXIDE Page 2 of 6

Determining Your Exposure Reproductive Hazard

 There is no evidence that Sodium Hydroxide affects
 Read the product manufacturer’s Material Safety Data reproduction. This is based on test results presently
Sheet (MSDS) and the label to determine product available to the NJDH from published studies.
ingredients and important safety and health information
about the product mixture. Other Effects
 Sodium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs. Repeated
 For each individual hazardous ingredient, read the New
exposure may cause bronchitis to develop with coughing,
Jersey Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact phlegm, and/or shortness of breath.
Sheet, available on the RTK website  Repeated exposure can lead to permanent lung damage.
(http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to-
know) or in your facility’s RTK Central File or Hazard
Communication Standard file. Medical
 You have a right to this information under the New Jersey
Medical Testing
Worker and Community Right to Know Act and the Public For frequent or potentially high exposure (half the PEL or
Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Act greater), the following are recommended before beginning
if you are a public worker in New Jersey, and under the work and at regular times after that:
federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) if you
are a private worker.  Lung function tests

 The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most If symptoms develop or overexposure is suspected, the
employers to label chemicals in the workplace and following is (are) recommended:
requires public employers to provide their employees with
information concerning chemical hazards and controls.  Consider chest x-ray after acute overexposure
The federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29  Exam of the eyes and vision
CFR 1910.1200) and the PEOSH Hazard Communication
Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and
Standard (N.J.A.C. 12:100-7) require employers to provide present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for
similar information and training to their employees. damage already done are not a substitute for controlling
exposure.
This Fact Sheet is a summary of available information
regarding the health hazards that may result from exposure. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right
Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance and other to this information under the OSHA Access to Employee
factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the potential Exposure and Medical Records Standard (29 CFR 1910.1020).
effects described below.
Mixed Exposures
 Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer,
Health Hazard Information emphysema, and other respiratory problems. It may worsen
respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. Even if
Acute Health Effects
you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will reduce
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur
your risk of developing health problems.
immediately or shortly after exposure to Sodium Hydroxide:

 Contact can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes with
possible permanent eye damage (corneal opacities), causing
blindness.
 Contact can irritate the mouth, nose and throat.
 Inhaling Sodium Hydroxide can irritate the lungs causing
coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures may
cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a
medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath.

Chronic Health Effects

The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at
some time after exposure to Sodium Hydroxide and can last
for months or years:

Cancer Hazard
 According to the information presently available to the New
Jersey Department of Health, Sodium Hydroxide has not
been tested for its ability to cause cancer in animals.
SODIUM HYDROXIDE Page 3 of 6

Workplace Controls and Practices Eye Protection

Very toxic chemicals, or those that are reproductive hazards or  Wear eye protection with side shields or goggles.
sensitizers, require expert advice on control measures if a less  Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with
toxic chemical cannot be substituted. Control measures corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances.
include: (1) enclosing chemical processes for severely
irritating and corrosive chemicals, (2) using local exhaust Respiratory Protection
ventilation for chemicals that may be harmful with a single Improper use of respirators is dangerous. Respirators
exposure, and (3) using general ventilation to control should only be used if the employer has implemented a written
exposures to skin and eye irritants. For further information on program that takes into account workplace conditions,
workplace controls, consult the NIOSH document on Control requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing, and
Banding at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ctrlbanding/.
medical exams, as described in the OSHA Respiratory
The following work practices are also recommended: Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134).

 Label process containers.  Where the potential exists for exposure over 2 mg/m3, use a
 Provide employees with hazard information and training. NIOSH approved negative pressure, air-purifying, particulate
 Monitor airborne chemical concentrations. filter respirator with an N, R or P100 filter. More protection is
 Use engineering controls if concentrations exceed provided by a full facepiece respirator than by a half-mask
recommended exposure levels. respirator, and even greater protection is provided by a
 Provide eye wash fountains and emergency showers. powered-air purifying respirator.
 Wash or shower if skin comes in contact with a hazardous  Leave the area immediately if (1) while wearing a filter or
material. cartridge respirator you can smell, taste, or otherwise detect
 Always wash at the end of the workshift. Sodium Hydroxide, (2) while wearing particulate filters
 Change into clean clothing if clothing becomes abnormal resistance to breathing is experienced, or (3) eye
contaminated. irritation occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator.
 Do not take contaminated clothing home. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face seal is still good.
 Get special training to wash contaminated clothing. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If the seal is no longer
 Do not eat, smoke, or drink in areas where chemicals are good, you may need a new respirator.
being handled, processed or stored.  Consider all potential sources of exposure in your workplace.
 Wash hands carefully before eating, smoking, drinking, You may need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges
applying cosmetics or using the toilet. to protect against different forms of a chemical (such as
vapor and mist) or against a mixture of chemicals.
In addition, the following may be useful or required:  Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a NIOSH
approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece
 Use a vacuum to reduce dust during clean-up. DO NOT operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure
DRY SWEEP. mode. For increased protection use in combination with an
auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus or an
emergency escape air cylinder.
 Exposure to 10 mg/m3 is immediately dangerous to life and
Personal Protective Equipment health. If the possibility of exposure above 10 mg/m3 exists,
use a NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus
The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR with a full facepiece operated in a pressure-demand or other
1910.132) requires employers to determine the appropriate positive-pressure mode equipped with an emergency escape
personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train air cylinder.
employees on how and when to use protective equipment.

The following recommendations are only guidelines and may Fire Hazards
not apply to every situation. If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained
and equipped as stated in the OSHA Fire Brigades Standard
Gloves and Clothing (29 CFR 1910.156).
 Avoid skin contact with Sodium Hydroxide. Wear personal
protective equipment made from material which can not be  Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of
permeated or degraded by this substance. Safety surrounding fire. Sodium Hydroxide itself does not burn.
equipment suppliers and manufacturers can provide  POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE.
recommendations on the most protective glove and clothing  Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. DO
material for your operation. NOT get water inside containers.
 Safety equipment manufacturers recommend Butyl, Nitrile,  Sodium Hydroxide in contact with water or moisture may
Neoprene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Silver Shield®/4H®, Viton and generate enough heat to ignite combustibles.
Barrier® as glove materials for Sodium Hydroxide in
solution, and Tychem® SL, and Responder®, and
Trellchem® HPS and VPS, or the equivalent, as protective
clothing materials for Sodium Hydroxide solid or solution.
 All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear)
should be clean, available each day, and put on before work.
SODIUM HYDROXIDE Page 4 of 6

Spills and Emergencies Occupational Health Information

If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be
Resources
properly trained and equipped. The OSHA Hazardous Waste
Operations and Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR The New Jersey Department of Health Occupational Health
1910.120) may apply. Service, offers multiple services in occupational health. These
services include providing informational resources, educational
If Sodium Hydroxide is spilled or leaked, take the following materials, public presentations, and industrial hygiene and
steps: medical investigations and evaluations.

 Evacuate personnel and secure and control entrance to the

area. For more information, please contact:
 Eliminate all ignition sources.
 For Sodium Hydroxide in solution, absorb liquids in dry
sand, earth, or a similar material and place into sealed New Jersey Department of Health
containers for disposal. Right to Know
 Collect solid material in the most convenient and safe PO Box 368
manner and place into sealed containers for disposal. Trenton, NJ 08625-0368
 DO NOT USE WATER OR WET METHOD. Phone: 609-984-2202
 Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete.
Fax: 609-984-7407
 DO NOT wash into sewer.
 It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Sodium
E-mail: [email protected]
Hydroxide as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact your state Web address:
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or your http://nj.gov/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to-
regional office of the federal Environmental Protection know
Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations.
The Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets
are not intended to be copied and sold
Handling and Storage for commercial purposes.
Prior to working with Sodium Hydroxide you should be trained
on its proper handling and storage.

 Sodium Hydroxide reacts with STRONG ACIDS (such as

HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); WATER; and
MOISTURE to rapidly release heat.
 Sodium Hydroxide reacts with METALS (such as
ALUMINUM, LEAD, TIN and ZINC) to form flammable and
explosive Hydrogen gas.
 Sodium Hydroxide can form shock sensitive salts on
contact with NITROGEN CONTAINING COMPOUNDS
(such as NITROMETHANE).
 Sodium Hydroxide is not compatible with OXIDIZING
AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES,
PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES,
CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE); CHLORINATED
SOLVENTS; AMMONIA; and ORGANIC MATERIALS.
 Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated
area away from WATER and MOISTURE.
 Sodium Hydroxide can attack IRON, COPPER, PLASTICS,
RUBBER and COATINGS.
SODIUM HYDROXIDE Page 5 of 6

GLOSSARY

ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial LEL or Lower Explosive Limit, is the lowest concentration of
Hygienists. They publish guidelines called Threshold Limit a combustible substance (gas or vapor) in the air capable of
Values (TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. continuing an explosion.
mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air.
Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) are established
It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).
by the EPA. They describe the risk to humans resulting from
once-in-a lifetime, or rare, exposure to airborne chemicals.
A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation
is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations
Boiling point is the temperature at which a substance can
can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
change its physical state from a liquid to a gas.
NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer.
substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.
The CAS number is unique, identifying number, assigned by
NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
the Chemical Abstracts Service, to a specific chemical.
Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves
respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and
CFR is the Code of Federal Regulations, which are the
proposes standards to OSHA.
regulations of the United States government.
NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn.
and reviews evidence for cancer.
A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes
OSHA is the federal Occupational Safety and Health
destruction of human skin or severe corrosion of containers.
Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety
standards.
The critical temperature is the temperature above which a
gas cannot be liquefied, regardless of the pressure applied.
PEOSHA is the New Jersey Public Employees Occupational
Safety and Health Act, which adopts and enforces health and
DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental
safety standards in public workplaces.
Protection.
Permeated is the movement of chemicals through protective
DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency
materials.
that regulates the transportation of chemicals.
ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal
measure of concentration by volume in air.
agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards.
Protective Action Criteria (PAC) are values established by
ERG is the Emergency Response Guidebook. It is a guide for
the Department of Energy and are based on AEGLs and
emergency responders for transportation emergencies
ERPGs. They are used for emergency planning of chemical
involving hazardous substances.
release events.
Emergency Response Planning Guideline (ERPG) values
A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases
provide estimates of concentration ranges where one
energy under certain conditions.
reasonably might anticipate observing adverse effects.
STEL is a Short Term Exposure Limit which is usually a 15-
A fetus is an unborn human or animal.
minute exposure that should not be exceeded at any time
during a work day.
A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will
ignite easily and burn rapidly.
A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by
damaging the fetus.
The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid
gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air.
UEL or Upper Explosive Limit is the highest concentration in
air above which there is too much fuel (gas or vapor) to begin a
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a
reaction or explosion.
scientific group.
Vapor Density is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of
Ionization Potential is the amount of energy needed to
one gas to the weight of another (usually Air), at the same
remove an electron from an atom or molecule. It is measured
temperature and pressure.
in electron volts.
The vapor pressure is a force exerted by the vapor in
IRIS is the Integrated Risk Information System database on
equilibrium with the solid or liquid phase of the same
human health effects that may result from exposure to various
substance. The higher the vapor pressure the higher
chemicals, maintained by federal EPA.
concentration of the substance in air.
 Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
Common Name: SODIUM HYDROXIDE
Synonyms: Caustic Soda; Lye; Sodium Hydrate
CAS No: 1310-73-2
Molecular Formula: NaOH
RTK Substance No: 1706
Description: Odorless, white solid that absorbs moisture from the air
HAZARD DATA
Hazard Rating Firefighting Reactivity
3 - Health Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of Sodium Hydroxide reacts with STRONG ACIDS (such as
surrounding fire. Sodium Hydroxide itself does HYDROCHLORIC, SULFURIC and NITRIC); WATER; and MOISTURE
0 - Fire not burn. to rapidly release heat.
1 - Reactivity POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE. Sodium Hydroxide reacts with METALS (such as ALUMINUM, LEAD,
Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers TIN and ZINC) to form flammable and explosive Hydrogen gas.
DOT#: cool. DO NOT get water inside containers. Sodium Hydroxide can form shock sensitive salts on contact with
UN 1823 (solid) Sodium Hydroxide in contact with water or NITROGEN CONTAINING COMPOUNDS (such as NITROMETHANE).
UN 1824 (solution) moisture may generate enough heat to ignite Sodium Hydroxide is not compatible with OXIDIZING AGENTS (such
combustibles. as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES, PERMANGANATES,
ERG Guide #: 154 CHLORATES, NITRATES, CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE);
Hazard Class: 8 CHLORINATED SOLVENTS; AMMONIA; and ORGANIC MATERIALS.
Sodium Hydroxide can attack IRON, COPPER, PLASTICS, RUBBER
(Corrosive) and COATINGS.

SPILL/LEAKS PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Isolation Distance: Odor Threshold: Odorless
Spill (solid): 25 meters (75 feet): Spill (liquid): 50 meters (150 feet) Flash Point: Noncombustible
Fire: 800 meters (1/2 mile) Vapor Density: 2.1 (air = 1)
For Sodium Hydroxide in solution absorb liquids in dry sand, earth, Vapor Pressure: 0 mm Hg at 68oF (20oC)
or a similar material and place into sealed containers for disposal.
Collect solid material in the most convenient and safe manner Specific Gravity: 2.1 (water = 1)
and place into sealed containers for disposal. Water Solubility: Soluble
DO NOT USE WATER OR WET METHOD.
Boiling Point: 2,534oF (1,390oC)
DO NOT wash into sewer.
Neutralize water spills with a dilute acid. Melting Point: 604oF (318oC)
Sodium Hydroxide is hazardous to the environment, especially Molecular Weight: 40
water organisms.

EXPOSURE LIMITS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

3
OSHA: 2 mg/m , 8-hr TWA Gloves: Butyl, Nitrile, Neoprene, PVC, SilverShield®/4H®, Viton and
NIOSH: 2 mg/m3, Ceiling Barrier® (>8-hr breakthrough for Sodium Hydroxide in solution)
ACGIH: 2 mg/m3, Ceiling Coveralls: Tychem® SL and Responder®, and Trellchem® HPS and VPS
IDLH: 10 mg/m3 (>8-hr breakthrough for Sodium Hydroxide solid or solution)
The Protective Action Criteria values are:
Respirator: <10 mg/m3 - Full facepiece APR with High efficiency filters
PAC-1 = 0.5 mg/m3 PAC-2 = 5 mg/m3 >10 mg/m3 - SCBA
PAC-3 = 50 mg/m3

HEALTH EFFECTS FIRST AID AND DECONTAMINATION

Eyes: Severe irritation, burns and possible eye Remove the person from exposure.
damage Quickly brush off excess chemical from the face. Flush with large amounts of water
Skin: Irritation and severe burns for at least 30 minutes. Remove contact lenses, if worn. Seek medical attention
Inhalation: Nose, throat and lung irritation with coughing immediately.
and severe shortness of breath (pulmonary Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately blot or brush off excess
edema) chemical and wash with large amounts of water for at least 30 minutes. Seek
medical attention immediately.
Begin artificial respiration if breathing has stopped and CPR if necessary.
Transfer promptly to a medical facility.
Medical observation is recommended as symptoms may be delayed.
November 2015