Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 85-540-1816, International Association of Fire Fighters, Washington, DC

摘要

In response to a request from the International Association of Fire Fighters (SIC-2899), the toxicity of the commercially available chimney fire extinguishing product Chimfex was evaluated. In a simulated worse case situation (minimal ventilation and no containment of the extinguisher), area air sampling was performed. Substances detected in the air samples included zinc (7440666), zinc-oxide (1314132), sulfur-dioxide (7446095) barium-oxide (1304285), and cadmium-oxide (1306190). Sulfur-dioxide concentrations ranged from 0.39 to 0.63mg/cu m, and cadmium-oxide concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.02mg/cu m. The presence of cadmium was not expected. Zinc-oxide fumes ranged from 6.4 to 48mg/cu m which exceeded the NIOSH recommended ceiling limit of 15mg/cu m for 15 minutes. The author concludes that a potential health hazard may exist from exposure to zinc-oxide fumes among users of Chimfex if used in poorly ventilated or confined spaces. The author recommends that a statement regarding the principal decomposition products and their health effects be placed on the product, both the container and the extinguisher itself.