Material safety data sheet

PRODUCT NAMES:

Russian Birch Plywood or Baltic Birch Plywood (Phenol-Formaldehyde Bonded), Coniferous Plywood (Phenol-Formaldehyde Bonded)

PRODUCT USE:

Building materials - structural, industrial or decorative

APPEARANCE AND ODOR:

Light tan to dark tan. Color and odor are dependent upon plywood species.

PHYSICAL STATE:

Solid

BOILING POINT:

Not Applicable

PH:

Not Applicable

MELTING POINT:

Not Applicable

VAPOR PRESSURE:

Not Applicable

SOLUBILITY IN WATER:

Not Applicable

VAPOR DENSITY:

Not Applicable

SPECIFIC GRAVITY:

<1.0

DESCRIPTION:

Plywood is subdivided into grades based on the following: appearance of face veneers, glue bond, the degree of moisture resistance of the bond, and if sanded or not. To produce face veneers for plywood, the following species can be used for the face veneer: birch, pine. For core veneers, in addition to the ones just mentioned, the following can be used: aspen, spruce, fir and cedar.

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW:

Sawing, sanding or machining plywood products can produce plywood dust, which can cause an explosion hazard. Plywood dust may cause eye, nose and throat irritation.

INHALATION:

Plywood dust may cause nasal dryness, irritation, coughing.

EYE CONTACT:

Plywood dust can cause mechanical irritation.

SKIN CONTACT:

Various species of plywood dust may evoke allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized individuals. If an allergy preexists or develops, it may be necessary to remove the sensitized worker from further exposure to plywood dust or plywood-based products.

INGESTION:

Not applicable under normal conditions of use.

INHALATION:

Remove to fresh air. If persistent irritation, severe coughing or breathing difficulty occurs, get medical attention.

EYE CONTACT:

Remove contact lenses. Flush eyes. Including under eyelids, with little amounts of water. If irritation persists, get medical attention.

SKIN CONTACT:

Wash affected areas with soap and water. If rash or persistent irritation or dermatitis occurs, get medical attention.

INGESTION:

Not applicable under normal conditions of use.

FLASH POINT:

Not applicable

EXPLOSIVE LIMITS:

Sawing, sanding or machining plywood products can produce plywood dust as a by product. Plywood dust is a strong to severe explosion hazard if a dust “cloud” contacts an ignition source. 212^oF (100^oC) has been suggested as the upper temperature limit for continuous exposure for plywood without risk of ignition (plywood dust may require a still lower temperature). An airborne concentration of 40 grams of dust per cubic meter of air is often used as the lowest explosion limit (LEL) for plywood dust.

HAZARDOUS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS:

Thermal-oxidative degradation, or burning, of plywood can produce irritating and potentially toxic fumes and gases including carbon monoxide, aldehydes and organic acids.

AUTOIGNITION TEMPERATURE:

400-500^oF (204-260^oC)

FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA:

Water. Partiality burned dust is especially hazardous in dispersed into the air. Remove burned or wet dust to open area after fire is extinguished.

HANDLING:

Provide adequate ventilation to reduce the possible buildup of formaldehyde gas, particularly when high temperatures occur. Avoid dusty conditions and provide good ventilation.

STORAGE:

Plywood products are combustible and, therefore, should not be subjected to temperatures exceeding the autoignition temperature. Water spray may be used to wet down plywood dust generated by sawing, sanding or machining to reduce the likelihood of ignition or dispersion of dust into the air.

ENGINEERING CONTROLS:

Due to the explosive potential of plywood dust when suspended in air, precautions should be taken during sanding, sawing or machining of plywood products to prevent an ignition sources in ventilation equipment. Use of totally enclosed motors is recommended. Provide local exhaust as necessary to meet OSHA requirements for plywood dust exposure.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION:

Wear NIOSH/OSHA approved respirator when the exposure limits to plywood dust may be exceeded.

EYE PROTECTION:

Recommended goggles or safety glasses as conditions indicate when sawing, sanding or machining plywood products.

SKIN PROTECTION:

Protective equipment such as gloves and outer garments may be needed to reduce skin contact.

Following are plywood dust exposure limits, which are in accord with those recommended by OSHA in the 1989 revision of PELs.

FORMALDEHYDE :

OSHA PEL-TWA — 0.75 ppm

OSHA PEL-STEL — 2 ppm

ACGIH TLV — 0.3 ppm

WOOD DUST:

OSHA PEL-TWA — 5 mg/m³

OSHA PEL-STEL — 10 mg/m³

STABILITY:

Stable

CONDITIONS TO AVOID:

Plywood dust generated from sawing, sanding or machining the product is extremely combustible. Keep in cool dry place away from ignition sources.

INCOMPATIBILITY (MATERIALS TO AVOID):

Oxidizing agents and drying oils.

HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION:

Will not occur.

PLYWOOD DUST:

Plywood dust generated from sawing, sanding or machining this product may cause nasal dryness, irritation, coughing and sinusitis. OSHA or the National Toxicology Program (NTR) does not consider plywood dust a potential cancer hazard. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies plywood dust as a carcinogen to humans (Group 1). This classification is based primarily on IARC’s evaluation of increased risk in the occurrence of adenocarcinomas of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses associated with exposure to plywood dust. IARC did not find sufficient evidence to associate cancers of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, lung, lymphatic and hematopoietic systems, stomach, colon or rectumavith exposure to plywood dust.

GASSONS FORMALDEHYDE:

May cause temporary irritation to eyes, nose and throat. Some reports suggest that formaldehyde may cause respiratory sensitization, such as asthma, and that preexisting respiratory disasters may be aggravated by exposure. Formaldehyde is listed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a probable human carcinogen. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) includes formaldehyde in the Annual Report on Carcinogens. Formaldehyde is regulated by OSHA as a potential cancer agent.

OSHA:

Plywood products are not hazardous under the criteria of the Federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200. However, plywood dust generated by sawing, sanding or machining these products may be hazardous.

TSCA:

This product complies with TSCA inventory requirements.

BARA 313:

None.

CANADIAN WHMIS:

These products are not considered controlled products.