MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
NOTE: Safety Handling Guidelines pages 2-4
Material Safety Data Sheet 鈥? MSDS3 U.S. Department of Labor
May be used to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA鈥檚 Hazard Communication Standard. (Non-Mandatory Form)
29 CFR 1910.1200. Standard must be Form Approved
consulted for specific requirements OMB No. 1218-0072
IDENTITY: Note: Blank spaces are not permitted. If any item is not applicable, or no
Foam Pak II Backer Rod information is available, the space must be marked to indicate that.
Section I
Manufacturer鈥檚 Name: Nomaco Inc. Emergency Telephone Number: N/A
Address: 501 NMC Drive, Zebulon, NC 27597, USA Telephone Number for Information: 919-269-6500
Date Prepared: 1/2/2001 Signature of Prepare: Optional
Section II 鈥? Physical & Chemical Properties
Appearance: Pale Yellow, soft cellular material, similar Density: 1.1 = 3.0 lbs./cu. Ft
Melting Point: decomposes > 350掳 F
in appearance to foam rubber, supplied in rods of
varying diameters and lengths
Section III 鈥? Fire & Explosion Hazard Data
OSHA Classification: Combustible solid Flash Point: Decomposition products > 500掳 F
Extinguishing Media: Water, Carbon Dioxide, Dry Chemical
Fire Fighting Protection: Use NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus & protective clothing, incl. boots
Unusual Fire Hazards: Foam can emit combustible gases making flash-back possible. Once ignited, foam can produce rapid flame
spread, intense heat, dense smoke and toxic gases. Foam can turn into burning liquid which can drip and flow. Piles of Polyurethane
dust can be readily ignited and present a potential fire risk. High concentrations of polyurethane dust in the air can explode if exposed
to flame, sparks, or other ignition sources. This product is considered a flammable solid per 29CFR1910.1200 ( c) and 16CFR1599.44,
which once ignited will continue to burn or be consumed with a self sustained flame at a rate greater than 0.1 inches per second
along its major axis.
Section IV 鈥? Reactivity
Stable, hazardous polymerization will not occur.
Incompatibility: Materials to avoid - strong acids and/or oxidizing agents; Conditions to avoid - High temperatures, open flames.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Decomposition through burning products fumes consisting of organic particulate, gaseous
hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (TLV=500 ppm), carbon monoxide (TLV=50ppm), and may contain traces of toluene diisocyanate
(TLLLV=0.005ppm), nitrogen dioxide (TLV=3ppm), hydrogen cyanide (TLLV=10ppm), and acrolein (TLV=0.1ppm).
Section V 鈥? Environment & Disposal Information
Disposal: Bury in landfill/burn in adequate incinerator in accordance with all Federal, State, & Local regulations. For Waste Disposal
- these products are not defined or designated hazardous by current provisions of 40 CFR 261.
Section VI 鈥? Health Hazard Data
Eye: Particulates may cause irritation or corneal injury due to mechanical abrasion.
Skin Contact: Ambient conditions - coarse cell structure may cause mechanical injury.
Inhalation: Ambient conditions: Very low hazard from solid material. Dust from cutting can be nuisance dust.
Elevated Temperatures: At temperatures above 350掳 F, the sum total of all ingredients may emit fumes and vapors that are irritating
to the respiratory tract, eyes, and/or skin of sensitive people. Typically, these effects are reversible upon removal from exposure and
no lasting effects are expected. The potential for irritation will depend upon the effectiveness of exhaust ventilation in the process
area.
Ingestion: May be obstruction if swallowed. Oral toxicity is believed to be low.
Section VII 鈥? First Aid Procedures
Eyes: Irrigate immediately with water for five (5) minutes.
Inhalation: Remove from exposure. If symptoms persist call a physician. Provide protection or increased ventilation before
allowing
Product: Foam Plastics
Material Safety Data Sheet
Prepared Date: November 1, 1996
N-MSDSFP-0104
Revised Date: January 30, 2004
Page 1 of 4
Safety Tips for Handling Extruded Polyethylene Foam
Policy Statement
Nomaco is dedicated to quality and safety and we take product stewardship and safe handling of our products
seriously. Nomaco produces polyethylene foam products with customer satisfaction as a primary objective.
Our products are designed to provide you with consistently high quality to meet your business demands. Our
foam products use a blowing agent as part of the manufacturing process to convert polyethylene plastic into
foam products for your application. Without proper precautions, it is possible to create and ignite flammable
concentrations of blowing agent in air. The following recommendations are designed to inform you of
precautions that need to be followed to insure the highest possible level of safety while using our products.
General Handling
Nomaco is listing precautions and recommendations to help you maintain the highest possible level of safety
when receiving, unloading, storing, handling, fabricating and shipping our polyethylene foam products. Always
refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for additional safety instructions.
Shipping Considerations
Nomaco transports foam using ventilated truck trailers, railcars and other transport vehicles to assure that a
flammable concentration of blowing agent released from the foam does not develop inside the vehicle.
Nomaco will not load solid-sided truck trailers unless they are equipped with appropriate vents. The minimum
vent requirement for truck trailers are:
1. Minimum vent size is 15 square inches per 1000 cubic feet of transport vehicle space, both front
and rear of vehicle.
2. One vent should be placed low at one end of the trailer in the rear (tail) of the trailer.
3. A second vent should be placed high at the other end of the front (nose) of the trailer.
4. Vents must be unobstructed a minimum of 6 inches front and rear of the transport vehicle.
5. Vents must be permanently open,Nomaco will not accept foam shipments, including returned goods,
which have been shipped in unventilated transport vehicles.
Opening of Vehicles Containing Foam
Although shipment in properly ventilated trailers and other vehicles should prevent the accumulation of a
flammable concentration of blowing agent during transport, the following additional precautions should be
taken when opening shipments of foam or other vehicles being used to store foam:
1. Extinguish all smoking or other ignition sources.
2. Verify that vehicle vents are open.
a. If vehicle vents are not open, open the vents and allow air circulation in the vehicle for at least
10 minutes.
3. Always allow air circulation in the vehicle for at least 10 minutes after opening the vehicle doors
before entering vehicles or moving foam.
Foam Packaging, Storage and Shipping
Foam should be stored only in ventilated areas. Foam should NOT be stored in closed, unventilated area. Foam
should not be stored in trailers. Smoking and all other ignition sources should NOT be allowed in foam storage
areas.
Product: Foam Plastics
Material Safety Data Sheet
Prepared Date: November 1, 1996
N-MSDSFP-0104
Revised Date: January 30, 2004
Page 2 of 4
Foam parts being packaged for shipment should be placed in containers which will allow blowing agent to
escape. Plastic bags should be adequately ventilated.
Foam Remnants (Scrap)
Foam remnants and scrap pieces should be stored in ventilated areas. Smoking and all other ignition sources
should NOT be allowed in areas where parts or scrap are being stored or loaded into vehicles. Foam remnants
and scrap parts being packaged for disposal or recycling should be placed in containers which will allow
blowing agent to escape. Plastic bags should be adequately ventilated.
Foam Fabrication
Fabricated parts may initially release blowing agent at higher rates than the same piece of foam prior to
fabrication because interior surfaces have been exposed. The blowing agent release rate then decreases
significantly in the days following fabrication. The release rate varies considerably with the foam product
fabricated, the size and shape of the part, the age of the foam, and the storage temperature of the fabricated
part. Operations which cut or destroy cells (such as skiving, die cutting, routing and grinding) release blowing
agent. Flammable concentration of blowing agent in air may develop in localized areas where large numbers
of cells are being cut. Blowing agent release should be diluted with air to dissipate blowing agent in these
localized areas. Never smoke or use other ignition sources while handling or working with foam.
Thermal Fabrication and Lamination
To prevent buildup of blowing agent, air flow should be provided in areas of thermal fabrication and
lamination. To minimize potential ignition hazards, foam and heat/flame sources should be kept moving
in relation to each other.
Skiving
Flammable concentrations of blowing agent are possible between the two split layers of foam as they
emerge from the skiver. Air flow should be directed into the space behind the blade guide, between the
two split foam layers. Airflow should also be provided in any areas where foam is stacked or stored after
skiving operations.
Die Cutting/Band Sawing
To prevent buildup of blowing agent, air flow should be provided in the die press and band saw areas.
Airflow should also be provided in any areas where foam is stacked or stored after cutting operations.
Grinding/Routing/Shaping
Equipment should be purged with a sufficient volume of air to assure released blowing agent does not
reach a flammable concentration. Positive air purge should be provided in any bins or hoppers which
receive the shreddings from these operations. Collection systems should be monitored to ensure that
high blowing agent concentrations will not occur when operations sit idle as a result of temporary shut
down or malfunction.
Reprocessing Foam Scrap
Grinding and/or densifying operations release residual blowing agent while reprocessing polyethylene foam
parts and foam scrap. Because of the potential to achieve flammable concentrations of blowing agent in these
operations, DO NOT REPROCESS FOAM PARTS OR FOAM SCRAP UNLESS USING A REPROCESSING SYSTEM
WHICH IS APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED AND OPERATED IN A FAIL-SAFE MANNER TO PREVENT THE CREATION OF
A FLAMMABLE CONCENTRATION OF BLOWING AGENT IN AIR.
Product: Foam Plastics
Material Safety Data Sheet
Prepared Date: November 1, 1996
N-MSDSFP-0104
Revised Date: January 30, 2004
Page 3 of 4
While you need to independently judge and analyze your operation, we believe the minimum air supply
for a reprocessing system is at least 50 cubic feet per minute of adequately mixed positive air flow for
every cubic foot per minute of foam fed into these reprocessing systems.
Adequate air must be supplied throughout the entire reprocessing system,including any storage bins or hoppers
receiving output from the reprocessing system Reprocessing and collections systems must be monitored to
ensure that high blowing agent concentrations do not occur during normal operations, temporary shutdown
or malfunction.
Each reprocessor should also use his own independent judgment regarding the safety of reprocessing foam
parts or scrap in his facility. We strongly recommend that you consult with your equipment manufacturer
or contact a qualified party to obtain specific equipment recommendations for your facility if you plan to
reprocess, grind, or densify foam parts or scrap.
Although the blowing agent release rate decreases significantly in the days following foam fabrication, we
recommend that you ship fabricated parts and foam scrap in ventilated truck trailers or other ventilated transport
vehicles. These vehicles should be ventilated in the same way as vehicles used for shipping unfabricated foam.
Our products can be safely used in your operations as long as you keep foam away from ignitions sources and
provide adequate air circulation and ventilation in all areas where foam is shipped, unloaded, stored, handled
and fabricated.
Summary
Government entities may mandate adequate ventilation of the general workplace and storage areas to assure
proper industrial hygiene. Where adequate ventilation is provided to satisfy industrial hygiene requirements,
flammable concentrations of blowing agent should not develop. Always refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) for additional safety instructions. Please contact us with any questions you may have regarding the
safe handling of our products.
Product: Foam Plastics
Material Safety Data Sheet
Prepared Date: November 1, 1996
N-MSDSFP-0104
Revised Date: January 30, 2004
Page 4 of 4
|