Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) Safe Storage And Handling

TIP 0606-24
ISSUED – 2003 REVISED – 2010 ©2010 TAPPI The information and data contained in this document were prepared by a technical committee of the Association. The committee and the Association assume no liability or responsibility in connection with the use of such information or data, including but not limited to any liability under patent, copyright, or trade secret laws. The user isresponsible for determining that this document is the most recent edition published.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) safe storage and handling
Scope This TIP provides basic information on measures to protect personnel and equipment in the handling and storage of bulk aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide. It is vitally important that any new hydrogen peroxide facility design be undertaken with advicefrom a supplier of hydrogen peroxide in order to cover all of the unique design parameters associated with hydrogen peroxide. Safety precautions Hazards classification CAS Registration 7722-84-1. Hydrogen peroxide at 20-60% concentration is identified as UN2014, and is classified as an oxidizer and corrosive. Hydrogen peroxide at greater than 60% concentration is identified as UN2015, and isclassified as an oxidizer and corrosive. See Table 1. Table 1. Hazard classification summary
Concentration: UN No. TDG Hazard Class Subsidiary Hazard Class Packing Group NFPA Rating: Health Flammability ­ Reactivity ­ Special ­
® ®

50% 2014 5.1 8 II 3 0 1 OXY

70% 2015 5.1 8 I 3 0 3 OXY
3 1.4 mg/m TWA 1.4 mg/m3 TWA 3 1.4 mg/m TWA

Exposure Limits:

ACGIH TLV OSHA PEL NIOSH REL (1994)
® ®1 ppm TWA 1 ppm TWA 1 ppm TWA

ACGIH and TLV are registered trademarks of the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists.

Workplace Hazard: (Health Canada WHMIS Classification) C – Oxidizing material D1B – Toxic material, with immediate and serious toxic effects E – Corrosive material F – Dangerously reactive material

TIP Category: Automatically Periodically Reviewed (7-yearreview) TAPPI

TIP 0606-24

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) safe storage and handling / 2

Health hazards Eye: Contact of all industrial grades of hydrogen peroxide with the eyes can cause severe irritation and burns, including ulceration of the cornea and may even lead to blindness. Hydrogen peroxide at concentrations above 6% can cause permanent eye damage, without prompt first aid treatment.Medical attention must be sought immediately after peroxide contact with eye(s). Skin: Contact of 70% hydrogen peroxide with the skin can cause severe burns. If the peroxide is not washed out, redness and blister formation may result. The injury should be treated as an ordinary heat burn. If the contact time is relatively short, especially for concentrations of 50% and lower, a temporary whiteningor bleaching, accompanied by a tingling sensation, may result. The whitening of the skin is caused partially by decomposition of hydrogen peroxide after diffusion through the skin. The whiteness, due to oxygen microbubbles, disappears as the oxygen diffuses from under the skin. The bleaching of the skin is not as damaging as the injury from contact with acid. The skin soon returns to normal if itis washed promptly after contact. Inhalation: Inhalation of hydrogen peroxide vapor or mist at high concentrations may cause extreme irritation and inflammation in the nose and throat. Ingestion: If swallowed, peroxide may cause injury to the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. Decomposition will cause the rapid evolution of oxygen, which may distend the esophagus or stomach and cause internalinjury. Chronic and acute toxicity: No chronic systemic or local effects from exposure to hydrogen peroxide are known. It has no known acute systemic toxicity. Personal protective equipment (PPE) Personal protective equipment must be worn when opening storage tanks, vessels and piping systems containing hydrogen peroxide. When working in the vicinity of high concentration hydrogen peroxide, or...