Common Name: SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC
CAS Number: 7558-79-4 RTK Substance number: 1723
DOT Number: UN 9147 Date: September 1986 Revision: May 2002
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HAZARD SUMMARY WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS
* Sodium Phosphate Dibasic can affect you when breathed No occupational exposure limits have been established for
in and by passing through your skin. Sodium Phosphate Dibasic. This does not mean that this
* Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. substance is not harmful. Safe work practices should always
* Breathing Sodium Phosphate Dibasic can irritate the be followed.
nose and throat causing coughing and wheezing.
* High and repeated exposure can cause a skin rash * It should be recognized that Sodium Phosphate Dibasic
(dermatitis). can be absorbed through your skin, thereby increasing
your exposure.
IDENTIFICATION
Sodium Phosphate Dibasic is an odorless, colorless, sand- WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE
like solid or white powder. It is used to make starch, as an * Where possible, enclose operations and use local exhaust
emulsifier in foods, and in the production of enamels, ventilation at the site of chemical release. If local exhaust
ceramics and detergents. ventilation or enclosure is not used, respirators should be
worn.
REASON FOR CITATION * Wear protective work clothing.
* Sodium Phosphate Dibasic is on the Hazardous * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Sodium
Substance List because it is cited by DOT and EPA. Phosphate Dibasic and at the end of the workshift.
* Definitions are provided on page 5. * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In
addition, as part of an ongoing education and training
HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING effort, communicate all information on the health and
safety hazards of Sodium Phosphate Dibasic to
EXPOSED
potentially exposed workers.
The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers
to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public
employers to provide their employees with information and
training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The
federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200,
requires private employers to provide similar training and
information to their employees.
* Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely
evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area
air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results
from your employer. You have a legal right to this
information under OSHA 1910.1020.
* If you think you are experiencing any work-related health
problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational
diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you.
SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC page 2 of 6
This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES
potential and most severe health hazards that may result from
exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous
and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most
potential effects described below. effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at
the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is
less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is
Acute Health Effects sometimes necessary.
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur
immediately or shortly after exposure to Sodium Phosphate In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider:
Dibasic: (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the
substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether
* Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls
* Breathing Sodium Phosphate Dibasic can irritate the nose should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when
and throat causing coughing and wheezing. significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible.
Chronic Health Effects In addition, the following control is recommended:
The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at
some time after exposure to Sodium Phosphate Dibasic and * Where possible, automatically transfer Sodium Phosphate
can last for months or years: Dibasic from drums or other storage containers to process
containers.
Cancer Hazard
* According to the information presently available to the New Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous
Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Sodium exposures. The following work practices are recommended:
Phosphate Dibasic has not been tested for its ability to
cause cancer in animals. * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Sodium
Phosphate Dibasic should change into clean clothing
Reproductive Hazard promptly.
* According to the information presently available to the New * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family
Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Sodium members could be exposed.
Phosphate Dibasic has not been tested for its ability to * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by
affect reproduction. individuals who have been informed of the hazards of
exposure to Sodium Phosphate Dibasic.
Other Long-Term Effects * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate
work area for emergency use.
* High and repeated exposure can cause a skin rash
* If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency
(dermatitis).
shower facilities should be provided.
* On skin contact with Sodium Phosphate Dibasic,
MEDICAL immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At
the end of the workshift, wash any areas of the body that
Medical Testing may have contacted Sodium Phosphate Dibasic, whether
There is no special test for this chemical. However, if illness or not known skin contact has occurred.
occurs or overexposure is suspected, medical attention is * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Sodium Phosphate
recommended. Dibasic is handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical
can be swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating,
Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and drinking, applying cosmetics, smoking, or using the toilet.
present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean-
damage already done are not a substitute for controlling up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP.
exposure.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right
to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for
some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs
done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace
controls are being installed), personal protective equipment
may be appropriate.
SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC page 3 of 6
OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the * Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a NIOSH
appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece
to train employees on how and when to use protective operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure
equipment. mode. For increased protection use in combination with an
auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a
The following recommendations are only guidelines and may pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.
not apply to every situation.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Clothing
* Avoid skin contact with Sodium Phosphate Dibasic. Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic
Wear protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment health effects?
suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from
the most protective glove/clothing material for your repeated exposures to a chemical.
operation.
* All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short-
should be clean, available each day, and put on before term effects?
work.
A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated
exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make
Eye Protection you immediately sick.
* Wear impact resistant eye protection with side shields or
goggles. Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been
* Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with exposed to chemicals?
corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances. A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is
increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is
Respiratory Protection determined by the length of time and the amount of
IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. material to which someone is exposed.
Such equipment should only be used if the employer has a
written program that takes into account workplace conditions, Q: When are higher exposures more likely?
requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and A: Conditions which increase risk of exposure include dust
medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134.
releasing operations (grinding, mixing, blasting, dumping,
etc.), other physical and mechanical processes (heating,
* NIOSH has established new testing and certification
pouring, spraying, spills and evaporation from large
requirements for negative pressure, air purifying, particulate
surface areas such as open containers), and "confined
filter and filtering facepiece respirators. The filter
space" exposures (working inside vats, reactors, boilers,
classifications of dust/mist/fume, paint spray or pesticide
small rooms, etc.).
prefilters, and filters for radon daughters, have been
replaced with the N, R, and P series. Each series has three
Q: Is the risk of getting sick higher for workers than for
levels of filtering efficiency: 95%, 99%, and 99.9%.
community residents?
Check with your safety equipment supplier or your
A: Yes. Exposures in the community, except possibly in
respirator manufacturer to determine which respirator is
cases of fires or spills, are usually much lower than those
appropriate for your facility.
found in the workplace. However, people in the
* If while wearing a filter or cartridge respirator you can
community may be exposed to contaminated water as
smell, taste, or otherwise detect Sodium Phosphate
well as to chemicals in the air over long periods. This
Dibasic, or if while wearing particulate filters abnormal
may be a problem for children or people who are already
resistance to breathing is experienced, or eye irritation
ill.
occurs while wearing a full facepiece respirator, leave the
area immediately. Check to make sure the respirator-to-face
seal is still good. If it is, replace the filter or cartridge. If
the seal is no longer good, you may need a new respirator.
* Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your
workplace. You may need a combination of filters,
prefilters or cartridges to protect against different forms of a
chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture of
chemicals.
SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC page 4 of 6
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The following information is available from:
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Occupational Health Service
PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
(609) 984-1863
(609) 984-7407 (fax)
Web address: [Link]
Industrial Hygiene Information
Industrial hygienists are available to answer your questions
regarding the control of chemical exposures using exhaust
ventilation, special work practices, good housekeeping, good
hygiene practices, and personal protective equipment including
respirators. In addition, they can help to interpret the results of
industrial hygiene survey data.
Medical Evaluation
If you think you are becoming sick because of exposure to
chemicals at your workplace, you may call personnel at the
Department of Health and Senior Services, Occupational
Health Service, who can help you find the information you
need.
Public Presentations
Presentations and educational programs on occupational health
or the Right to Know Act can be organized for labor unions,
trade associations and other groups.
Right to Know Information Resources
The Right to Know Infoline (609) 984-2202 can answer
questions about the identity and potential health effects of
chemicals, list of educational materials in occupational health,
references used to prepare the Fact Sheets, preparation of the
Right to Know Survey, education and training programs,
labeling requirements, and general information regarding the
Right to Know Act. Violations of the law should be reported to
(609) 984-2202.
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SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC page 5 of 6
DEFINITIONS
ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental NAERG is the North American Emergency Response
Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called Guidebook. It was jointly developed by Transport Canada, the
TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals. United States Department of Transportation and the Secretariat
of Communications and Transportation of Mexico. It is a
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer. guide for first responders to quickly identify the specific or
generic hazards of material involved in a transportation
The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts incident, and to protect themselves and the general public
Service to identify a specific chemical. during the initial response phase of the incident.
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn. NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that
determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals.
A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes
irreversible damage to human tissue or containers. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies
substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.
DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection. NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators,
DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes standards
that regulates the transportation of chemicals. to OSHA.
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests
agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards. chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer.
A fetus is an unborn human or animal. OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
which adopts and enforces health and safety standards.
A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will
ignite easily and burn rapidly. PEL is the Permissible Exposure Limit which is enforceable by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid
gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air. PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison
Inhalation Hazards.
HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal
EPA. ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a
measure of concentration by volume in air.
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a
scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases
cancer-causing potential. energy under certain conditions.
A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by
in another. damaging the fetus.
mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure
It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume). limit recommended by ACGIH.
A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a
a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure
lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer. indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and
therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.
page 6 of 6
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> E M E R G E N C Y I N F O R M A T I O N <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Common Name: SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC HANDLING AND STORAGE
DOT Number: UN 9147
NAERG Code: 171 * Prior to working with Sodium Phosphate Dibasic you
CAS Number: 7558-79-4 should be trained on its proper handling and storage.
* Sodium Phosphate Dibasic is not compatible with
STRONG ACIDS (such as HYDROCHLORIC,
Hazard rating NJDHSS NFPA SULFURIC and NITRIC).
FLAMMABILITY Not Found Not Rated * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-
REACTIVITY Not Found Not Rated ventilated area.
DOES NOT BURN
POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE
FIRST AID
CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE
For POISON INFORMATION call 1-800-222-1222
Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate;
3=serious; 4=severe
Eye Contact
* Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least
15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids.
FIRE HAZARDS
* Extinguish fire using an agent suitable for type of
Skin Contact
* Remove contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated skin
surrounding fire. Sodium Phosphate Dibasic itself does
with soap and water.
not burn.
* POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE,
including Phosphorous Oxide fumes.
Breathing
* Remove the person from exposure.
* CONTAINERS MAY EXPLODE IN FIRE.
* Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if
* Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool.
breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped.
* If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be
* Transfer promptly to a medical facility.
trained and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156.
SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES PHYSICAL DATA
If Sodium Phosphate Dibasic is spilled, take the following Water Solubility: Soluble
steps:
OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES
* Evacuate persons not wearing protective equipment from
area of spill until clean-up is complete. Chemical Name:
* Collect powdered material in the most convenient and safe Phosphoric Acid, Disodium Salt
manner and deposit in sealed containers. Other Names:
* Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete. Sodium Monohydrogen Phosphate; Dibasic Sodium Phosphate
* It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Sodium
Phosphate Dibasic as a HAZARDOUS WASTE. Contact ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
your state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial
or your regional office of the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations. purposes.
* If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
properly trained and equipped. OSHA 1910.120(q) may be NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
SENIOR SERVICES
applicable.
Right to Know Program
PO Box 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368
============================================
(609) 984-2202
FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire
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department. You can request emergency information from the
following:
CHEMTREC: (800) 424-9300
NJDEP HOTLINE: 1-877-WARN-DEP
============================================
