BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE
Common Name:
CAS Number: 205-99-2 RTK Substance number: 0208
DOT Number: None Date: September 1995 Revision: July 2001
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HAZARD SUMMARY
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene can affect you when breathed in and * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health
may be absorbed through the skin. problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene is a CARCINOGEN--HANDLE diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you.
WITH EXTREME CAUTION.
* Contact with Benzo(b)fluoranthene can cause skin and eye WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS
irritation. The following exposure limits are for Benzo(b)fluoranthene
* Because the major hazards associated with (measured as Coal Tar Pitch volatiles):
Benzo(b)fluoranthene come from exposure to Coal Tar
Pitch, CONSULT THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL)
HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES HAZARDOUS is 0.2 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
SUBSTANCE FACT SHEET ON COAL TAR PITCH.
NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.1
IDENTIFICATION mg/m3 averaged over a 10-hour workshift.
Benzo(b)fluoranthene is a colorless, needle-shaped solid. It is
used as a research chemical and is present in coal, and coke ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 0.2
mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift.
oven emissions, and petroleum products.
REASON FOR CITATION * Benzo(b)fluoranthene is a PROBABLE CARCINOGEN in
humans. There may be no safe level of exposure to a
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene is on the Hazardous Substance List
carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest
because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH,
possible level.
NIOSH, NTP, IARC, HHAG and EPA.
* The above exposure limits are for air levels only. When skin
* This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance
contact also occurs, you may be overexposed, even though
List because it is a CARCINOGEN.
air levels are less than the limits listed above.
* Definitions are provided on page 5.
WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE
HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING
* Enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the
EXPOSED
site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or
The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers to
enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn.
label chemicals in the workplace and requires public employers
* A regulated, marked area should be established where
to provide their employees with information and training
Benzo(b)fluoranthene is handled, used, or stored.
concerning chemical hazards and controls. The federal OSHA
* Wear protective work clothing.
Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, requires private
* Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to
employers to provide similar training and information to their
Benzo(b)fluoranthene and at the end of the workshift.
employees.
* Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In
addition, as part of an ongoing education and training
* Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely
effort, communicate all information on the health and safety
evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area air
hazards of Benzo(b)fluoranthene to potentially exposed
samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from
workers.
your employer. You have a legal right to this information
under OSHA 1910.1020.
BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE page 2 of 6
WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES
This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all
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 effective
potential effects described below. 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 reduce exposure.
HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Using respirators or protective equipment is less effective than
the controls mentioned above, but is sometimes necessary.
Acute Health Effects
In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider:
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur
(1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the
immediately or shortly after exposure to Benzo(b)fluoranthene:
substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether
harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls
* Contact with Benzo(b)fluoranthene can cause skin and eye
should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when significant
irritation.
skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible.
Chronic Health Effects
In addition, the following controls are recommended:
The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at
some time after exposure to Benzo(b)fluoranthene and can last
* Where possible, automatically transfer
for months or years:
Benzo(b)fluoranthene from drums or other storage
containers to process containers.
Cancer Hazard
* A Class I, Type B, biological safety hood should be used
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene is a PROBABLE CARCINOGEN in
when mixing, handling, or preparing Benzo(b)fluoranthene.
humans. It has been shown to cause lung, liver and skin
cancer in animals.
Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous
* Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to
exposures. The following work practices are recommended:
a carcinogen. Such substances may also have the potential
for causing reproductive damage in humans.
* Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by
Benzo(b)fluoranthene 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,
members could be exposed.
Benzo(b)fluoranthene 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 Benzo(b)fluoranthene.
Other Long-Term Effects
* Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene has not been tested for other chronic
work area for emergency use.
(long-term) health effects.
* If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency
shower facilities should be provided.
MEDICAL
* On skin contact with Benzo(b)fluoranthene, immediately
wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the
Medical Testing workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have
There is no special test for this chemical. However, if illness contacted Benzo(b)fluoranthene, whether or not known skin
occurs or overexposure is suspected, medical attention is contact has occurred.
recommended. * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Benzo(b)fluoranthene is
handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be
Examine your skin periodically for growths or changes in warts swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking,
or moles. Skin cancers are usually easily curable when removed smoking, or using the toilet.
early. * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean-
up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP.
Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and * When vacuuming, a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA)
present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for filter should be used, not a standard shop vacuum.
damage already done are not a substitute for controlling
exposure.
Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right
to this information under OSHA 1910.1020.
BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE page 3 of 6
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN PERSONAL Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic health
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for some jobs (such as effects?
outside work, confined space entry, jobs done only once in a A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from
while, or jobs done while workplace controls are being repeated exposures to a chemical.
installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate.
Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short-term
OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the appropriate effects?
personal protective equipment for each hazard and to train A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated
employees on how and when to use protective equipment. exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make
you immediately sick.
The following recommendations are only guidelines and may
not apply to every situation. Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been
exposed to chemicals?
A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is
Clothing
increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is
* Avoid skin contact with Benzo(b)fluoranthene. Wear
determined by the length of time and the amount of
protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment
material to which someone is exposed.
suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on
the most protective glove/clothing material for your
Q: When are higher exposures more likely?
operation.
A: Conditions which increase risk of exposure include dust
* All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear)
releasing operations (grinding, mixing, blasting, dumping,
should be clean, available each day, and put on before work.
etc.), other physical and mechanical processes (heating,
pouring, spraying, spills and evaporation from large
Eye Protection surface areas such as open containers), and "confined
* Wear impact resistant eye protection with side shields or
space" exposures (working inside vats, reactors, boilers,
goggles.
small rooms, etc.).
* Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with
corrosive, highly irritating or toxic substances.
Q: Is the risk of getting sick higher for workers than for
community residents?
Respiratory Protection A: Yes. Exposures in the community, except possibly in
IMPROPER USE OF RESPIRATORS IS DANGEROUS. Such
cases of fires or spills, are usually much lower than those
equipment should only be used if the employer has a written
found in the workplace. However, people in the
program that takes into account workplace conditions,
community may be exposed to contaminated water as well
requirements for worker training, respirator fit testing and
as to chemicals in the air over long periods. This may be a
medical exams, as described in OSHA 1910.134.
problem for children or people who are already ill.
* Where the potential exists for exposure over 0.1 mg/m3 (as
Q: Don't all chemicals cause cancer?
Coal Tar Pitch volatiles), use a MSHA/NIOSH approved
A: No. Most chemicals tested by scientists are not cancer-
supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in a
causing.
pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode. For
increased protection use in combination with an auxiliary
Q: Should I be concerned if a chemical causes cancer in
self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure-
animals?
demand or other positive-pressure mode.
A: Yes. Most scientists agree that a chemical that causes
* Exposure to 80 mg/m3 (as Coal Tar Pitch volatiles) is
cancer in animals should be treated as a suspected human
immediately dangerous to life and health. If the possibility
carcinogen unless proven otherwise.
of exposure above 80 mg/m3 (as Coal Tar Pitch volatiles)
exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH approved self-contained
Q: But don't they test animals using much higher levels of a
breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in a
chemical than people usually are exposed to?
pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.
A: Yes. That's so effects can be seen more clearly using
fewer animals. But high doses alone don't cause cancer
unless it's a cancer agent. In fact, a chemical that causes
cancer in animals at high doses could cause cancer in
humans exposed to low doses.
BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE 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) 292-5677 (fax)
Web address: http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/odisweb/
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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BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE page 5 of 6
DEFINITIONS
NAERG is the North American Emergency Response
ACGIH is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial
Guidebook. It was jointly developed by Transport Canada, the
Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called TLVs) for
United States Department of Transportation and the Secretariat
exposure to workplace chemicals.
of Communications and Transportation of Mexico. It is a guide
for first responders to quickly identify the specific or generic
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer.
hazards of material involved in a transportation incident, and to
protect themselves and the general public during the initial
The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts
response phase of the incident.
Service to identify a specific chemical.
NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn.
determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals.
A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes
NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies
irreversible damage to human tissue or containers.
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 chemicals
agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards.
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.
PEOSHA is the Public Employees Occupational Safety and
Health Act, a state law which sets PELs for New Jersey public
The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid
employees.
gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air.
PIH is a DOT designation for chemicals which are Poison
HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal
Inhalation Hazards.
EPA.
ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a
measure of concentration by volume in air.
scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their
cancer-causing potential.
A reactive substance is a solid, liquid or gas that releases
energy under certain conditions.
A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve
in another.
A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by
mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. It damaging the fetus.
is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).
TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure limit
recommended by ACGIH.
MSHA is the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the
federal agency that regulates mining. It also evaluates and
The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a
approves respirators.
solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure
indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and
A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is
therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.
a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can
lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
page 6 of 6
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> E M E R G E N C Y I N F O R M A T I O N <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
HANDLING AND STORAGE
Common Name: BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE
DOT Number: None
* Prior to working with Benzo(b)fluoranthene you should be
NAERG Code: No Citation
trained on its proper handling and storage.
CAS Number: 205-99-2
* A regulated, marked area should be established where
Benzo(b)fluoranthene is handled, used, or stored.
Hazard rating NJDHSS NFPA * Benzo(b)fluoranthene is not compatible with OXIDIZING
Not Found Not Rated AGENTS (such as PERCHLORATES, PEROXIDES,
FLAMMABILITY
PERMANGANATES, CHLORATES, NITRATES,
Not Found Not Rated
REACTIVITY CHLORINE, BROMINE and FLUORINE); OZONE;
CARCINOGEN NITROGEN OXIDES; and SULFUR OXIDES.
POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE * Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated
area.
Hazard Rating Key: 0=minimal; 1=slight; 2=moderate;
FIRST AID
3=serious; 4=severe
FIRE HAZARDS In NJ, for POISON INFORMATION call 1-800-764-7661
Eye Contact
* Benzo(b)fluoranthene may burn, but does not readily ignite.
* Use dry chemical, CO2, water spray, alcohol or polymer foam * Immediately flush with large amounts of water for at least 15
extinguishers. minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids.
* POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE.
Skin Contact
* If employees are expected to fight fires, they must be trained
and equipped as stated in OSHA 1910.156. * Quickly remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash
contaminated skin with large amounts of soap and water.
SPILLS AND EMERGENCIES
Breathing
If Benzo(b)fluoranthene is spilled, take the following steps: * Remove the person from exposure.
* Begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions) if
* Evacuate persons not wearing protective equipment from breathing has stopped and CPR if heart action has stopped.
area of spill until clean-up is complete. * Transfer promptly to a medical facility.
* Collect powdered material in the most convenient and safe
PHYSICAL DATA
manner and deposit in sealed containers.
* Ventilate and wash area after clean-up is complete.
* It may be necessary to contain and dispose of Vapor Pressure : 5 x 10 -7 mm Hg at 68o F (20o C)
Benzo(b)fluoranthene as a HAZARDOUS WASTE.
Water Solubility: Insoluble
Contact your state Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) or your regional office of the federal Environmental
OTHER COMMONLY USED NAMES
Protection Agency (EPA) for specific recommendations.
* If employees are required to clean-up spills, they must be
Chemical Name:
properly trained and equipped. OSHA 1910.120(q) may be
Benz(e)acephenanthrylene
applicable.
Other Names:
============================================= 2,3-Benzfluoranthene; 3,4-Benzfluoranthene; B(b)F
FOR LARGE SPILLS AND FIRES immediately call your fire
department. You can request emergency information from the -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
following: Not intended to be copied and sold for commercial
purposes.
CHEMTREC: (800) 424-9300
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NJDEP HOTLINE: 1-877-WARN-DEP
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
=============================================
SENIOR SERVICES
Right to Know Program
PO Box 368, Trenton, NJ 08625-0368
(609) 984-2202 H4985
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