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Protective Equip. / Clothing
500 ppm: Chemical cartridge respirator with an organic vapor cartridge(s) with a full facepiece or gas mask with an organic vapor canister (chin-style or front- or back-mounted canister) or supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece, helmet, or hood, or self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece. 1000 ppm: Type C supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode or with a full facepiece, helmet, or hood operated in continuous-flow mode. Escape: Gas mask with an organic vapor canister (chin-style or front- or back-mounted canister) self-contained breathing apparatus.
NIOSH; Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards p.41 (1981) DHEW (NIOSH) Pub No. 78-210.
Body suit: complete suit protecting against chemicals, flame retardant antistatic protective clothing, the type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous subsance at the specific workplace.
Sigma-Aldrich; Material Safety Data Sheet for Acetic Acid, Product Number: 320099, Version 5.4 (Revision Date 02/21/2014). Available from, as of June 25, 2014. <http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/safety-center.html/>.
Breakthrough times of greater than one hour were reported by (normally) two or more testers for neoprene, nitrile rubber, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, natural rubber and Vitron.
ACGIH; Guidelines Select of Chem Protect Clothing Volume #1 Field Guide p.37 (1983).
Employees should be provided with and required to use impervious clothing, gloves, face shields (eight-inch minimum), and other appropriate protective clothing necessary to prevent any possibility of skin contact with solid or liquid acetic acid or solutions containing 50% or more of acetic acid by weight and to prevent repeated or prolonged skin contact with solutions containing 10% or more but less than 50% of acetic acid by weight.
Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) Publication No. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981. 3.
Employees should be provided with and required to use dust- and splash-proof safety goggles where there is any possibility of solid or liquid acetic acid or solutions containing acetic acid contacting the eyes.
Mackison, F. W., R. S. Stricoff, and L. J. Partridge, Jr. (eds.). NIOSH/OSHA - Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards. DHHS(NIOSH) Publication No. 81-123 (3 VOLS). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1981. 3.
Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact. />10%/
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact.
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Eyewash fountains should be provided in areas where there is any possbility that workers could be exposed to the substance; this is irrespective of the recommendation involving the wearing of eye protection. />5%/
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Facilities for quickly drenching the body should be provided within the immediate work area for emergency use where there is a possibility of exposure. [Note: It is intended that these facilities provide a sufficient quantity or flow of water to quickly remove the substance from any body areas likely to be exposed. The actual determination of what constitutes an adequate quick drench facility depends on the specific circumstances. In certain instances, a deluge shower should be readily available, whereas in others, the availability of water from a sink or hose could be considered adequate.] />50%/
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Respirator Recommendations: Up to 50 ppm:
Assigned Protection Factor (APF)
Respirator Recommendations
APF = 25
Any supplied-air respirator operated in a continuous-flow mode. Substance causes eye irritation or damage; eye protection needed
APF = 25
Any powered, air-purifying respirator with organic vapor cartridge(s). Substance causes eye irritation or damage; eye protection needed.
APF = 50
Any chemical cartridge respirator with a full facepiece and organic vapor cartridge(s).
APF = 50
Any air-purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted organic vapor canister.
APF = 50
Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece.
APF = 50
Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Respirator Recommendations: Emergency or planned entry into unknown concentrations or IDLH conditions:
Assigned Protection Factor (APF)
Respirator Recommendations
APF = 10,000
Any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operatedin a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.
APF = 10,000
Any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode in combination with an auxillary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus.
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.
Respirator Recommendations: Escape:
Assigned Protection Factor (APF)
Respirator Recommendations
APF = 50
Air purifying, full-facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style, front- or back-mounted organic vapor canister/Any appropriate escape-type, self-contained breathing apparatus.
NIOSH. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-168 (2010). Available from: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg>.