Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

KESTER 44 CORE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Flux cored solder.

SYNONYMS

"flux cored solder"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Contact with water liberates extremely flammable gases.
Spontaneously flammable in air.
Irritating to eyes.
May cause SENSITIZATION by skin contact.
Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.
Possible risk of impaired fertility.
Harmful by inhalation and if swallowed.
May cause long- term adverse effects in the environment.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Tin salts are not very toxic. However, at high concentration, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can occur. At very high levels growth may be affected.  Soluble zinc salts produces irritation and corrosion of the alimentary tract with pain, and vomiting. Death can occur due to insufficiency of food intake due to severe narrowing of the esophagus and pylorus.  Not normally a hazard due to physical form of product.  Considered an unlikely route of entry in commercial/industrial environments.  Owing to limited gastro-intestinal absorption, administration of insoluble bismuth compounds by mouth does not usually give rise to acute toxic effects. They are excreted in the faeces. Stomatitis (ulceration of mouth parts) may result following ingestion.  A metallic taste, nausea, vomiting and burning feeling in the upper stomach region occur after ingestion of copper and its derivatives. The vomitus is usually green/blue and discolors contaminated skin. Acute poisonings from ingestion are rare due to their prompt removal by vomiting. Should vomiting not occur, or is delayed systemic poisoning may occur producing kidney and liver damage, wide-spread capillary damage, and be fatal; death may occur after relapse from an apparent recovery. Anemia may occur in acute poisoning.  

EYE

  This material can cause eye irritation and damage in some persons.  Copper salts, in contact with the eye, may produce conjunctivitis or even ulceration and turbidity of the cornea.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption.  Skin contact with antimony compounds may result in redness and severe irritation with the formation of itchy papules, pustules, skin lesions/ small septic blisters (antimony spots) within a few hours.  Rhinitis may also result from dermal contact.  Irritation and skin reactions are possible with sensitive skin.  Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  Exposure to copper, by skin, has come from its use in pigments, ointments, ornaments, jewellery, dental amalgams and IUDs and as an antifungal agent and an algicide. Although copper algicides are used in the treatment of water in swimming pools and reservoirs, there are no reports of toxicity from these applications. Reports of allergic contact dermatitis following contact with copper and its salts have appeared in the literature, however the exposure concentrations leading to any effect have been poorly characterised. In one study, patch testing of 1190 eczema patients found that only 13 (1.1%) cross-  reacted with 2% copper sulfate in petrolatum. The investigators warned, however, that the possibility of contamination with nickel (an established contact allergen) might have been the cause of the reaction. Copper salts often produce an itching eczema in contact with skin. This is, likely, of a non-allergic nature.  

INHALED

  There is some evidence to suggest that this material, if inhaled, can irritate the throat and lungs of some persons.  Inhalation hazard is increased at higher temperatures.  The inhalation of small particles of metal oxide results in sudden thirst, a sweet, metallic our foul taste, throat irritation, cough, dry mucous membranes, tiredness and general unwellness. Headache, nausea and vomiting, fever or chills, restlessness, sweating, diarrhea, excessive urination and prostration may also occur. After exposure is removed, recovery occurs within 24-36 hours.  Inhalation of fume may aggravate a pre-existing respiratory condition such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema.  Copper poisoning following exposure to copper dusts and fume may result in headache, cold sweat and weak pulse. Capillary, kidney, liver and brain damage are the longer term manifestations of such poisoning. Inhalation of freshly formed metal oxide particles sized below 1.5 microns and generally between 0.02 to 0.05 microns may result in "metal fume fever". Symptoms may be delayed for up to 12 hours and begin with the sudden onset of thirst, and a sweet, metallic or foul taste in the mouth. Other symptoms include upper respiratory tract irritation accompanied by coughing and a dryness of the mucous membranes, lassitude and a generalised feeling of malaise. Mild to severe headache, nausea, occasional vomiting, fever or chills, exaggerated mental activity, profuse sweating, diarrhoea, excessive urination and prostration may also occur. Tolerance to the fumes develops rapidly, but is quickly lost. All symptoms usually subside within 24-36 hours following removal from exposure.  Inhalation of antimony can cause breathing difficulties and gastrointestinal upset including sore throat, shallow breathing, dizziness, weight loss, gum bleeds and anemia. Lung swelling and congestion can occur. Damage can happen to the heart, liver and kidneys,  with heart failure causing death.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  There has been concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations, but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  Skin contact with the material is more likely to cause a sensitization reaction in some persons compared to the general population.  Ample evidence from experiments exists that there is a suspicionthis material directly reduces fertility.  Copper has fairly low toxicity. Some rare hereditary conditions (Wilson disease or hepatolenticular degeneration) can lead to accumulation of copper on exposure, causing irreversible damage to a variety of organs (liver, kidney, CNS, bone, vision) and lead to death. There may be anemia and cirrhosis of the liver.  Metallic dusts generated by the industrial process give rise to a number of potential health problems. The larger particles, above 5 micron, are nose and throat irritants. Smaller particles however, may cause lung deterioration. Particles of less than 1.5 micron can be trapped in the lungs and, dependent on the nature of the particle, may give rise to further serious health consequences.  Repeated or prolonged exposure to antimony and its compounds may produce inflammation of the mouth cavity, dry throat, metallic taste, gum infection, perforation of the nasal septum and throat, laryngitis, headache, difficulty breathing, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia, weight loss, tightness and pain in the chest, sleeplessness, muscular pain and weakness, dizziness, pharyngitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. Degenerative changes of the liver and kidney may occur. Chronic exposure to antimony compounds may result in itchiness, spots and pus blisters around sweat glands, Workers exposed to antimony can develop obstructive lung disease. Antimony crosses the placenta and is excreted in breast milk. There may be an increased incidence of spontaneous late abortions, premature births, and gynecological problems among female antimony smelter workers. Antimony may be associated with an increased incidence of cancers of the lung and chest.  Welding or flame cutting of metals with zinc or zinc dust coatings may result in inhalation of zinc oxide fume; high concentrations of zinc oxide fume may result in "metal fume fever"; also known as "brass chills", an industrial disease of short duration. [I.L.O] Symptoms include malaise, fever, weakness, nausea and may appear quickly if operations occur in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas.  Chronic exposure to tin dusts and fume can result in substantial amounts being deposited in the lungs and result in reduced lung function and difficulty breathing.