Hazards:
Eye contact: silane can irritate the eyes. Silane decomposes to produce amorphous silica. Eye contact with amorphous silica particles can cause irritation.
Inhalation:
1. Inhalation of high concentrations of silane can cause headache, nausea, dizziness and irritation of the upper respiratory tract.
2. Silane can irritate the respiratory system and mucous membranes. Excessive inhalation of silane can cause pneumonia and kidney disease due to the presence of crystalline silica.
3. Exposure to high concentrations of the gas can also cause thermal burns due to spontaneous combustion.
Ingest: Ingestion is not a likely route of exposure to silane.
Skin contact: Silane can irritate the skin. Silane decomposition produces amorphous silica . Skin contact with amorphous silica particles can cause irritation.
Chronic symptoms: Further health effects of long-term exposure to silane are not known today.
Damage to organs: not established
Disease worsening due to overexposure : Exposure to silane and its decomposition products in people with skin and respiratory diseases can aggravate their condition.
Carcinogenicity : Not classified as a carcinogen by NTP, OSHA and IARC.
First Aid
First Aid for Different Exposure Routes:
Heat Burns: If a person is burned as a result of a silane leak, first aid should be given by trained personnel and medical attention should be sought immediately.
Eye contact: Immediately flush with water for a minimum of 15 minutes, not too fast, while holding the eyelids open. Leave the victim with an "O" shaped eye and seek immediate ophthalmologic attention.
Inhalation: Remove the patient to fresh air as soon as possible. Administer oxygen or artificial respiration by trained personnel if necessary.
Skin contact: 1. Rinse with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove any clothing that has been exposed to silane or contaminated, being careful not to contact the eyes.
2. If the patient experiences persistent irritation or other further health effects immediate medical attention is required.
Doctor's note: Administer oxygen if necessary. Observe patient for early signs of pneumonia. Apply extinguishing agent: Cut off the air supply to extinguish the fire. Use water spray to reduce combustion products formed in the air. Do not use halogenated fire extinguishers. Cool cylinders exposed to flames with water from the farthest distance.
Special hazards that may be encountered when extinguishing a fire:
1. Spontaneously combustible gas. This product is a colorless gas that reacts readily with air. The gas usually in contact with air will cause combustion and emit very thick white amorphous silica fumes.
2. If the pressure is too high or the speed is too fast when releasing silane it can cause a lag explosion. Leaking silane without spontaneous combustion will be very dangerous, do not approach.
3. Most cylinders are designed to drain when the temperature rises. The pressure inside the cylinder will rise due to the heat and if the relief device fails it will cause the cylinder to explode.
Special Fire Fighting Procedures:
1. Evacuate everyone from the leak area. If possible, extinguish the fire according to the burning material after disconnecting the gas source if there is no danger.
2. Use water spray to reduce the formation of combustion products in the air. Water may not be effective in extinguishing silane fires.
3. Do not use halogenated extinguishing agents. If possible, stop leaks.
4. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire before cutting off the gas supply. This will avoid accumulation and re-ignition of the flammable gas mixture.
5. For small leaks, if you cannot stop the leak and the leak will not harm personnel, let the flames die out naturally. Cool the surrounding cylinders by spraying them with plenty of water until the flames go out.
6. In large fires, automatic pipe supports and control nozzles should be used to extinguish the fire from a distance .
7. Eye protection is required when dealing with the initial start of a fire. For large fires, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and full-body protective clothing, including fireproof clothing, are required. If necessary, brush fire-fighting equipment with soapy water.
Hazardous combustion products: products of combustion including silica. Cleanup Methods:
1. Evacuate immediately affected area.
2. Silane is a spontaneously combustible gas. The gas normally causes combustion on contact with air and emits very thick yellow amorphous silica fumes.
3. Uncontrolled leaks need to be handled by trained personnel according to a pre-determined plan. Silane leaks generally cause fires.
4. If silane is released at too high a pressure or too quickly it can cause a lag explosion. Leaking silane without spontaneous combustion can be very dangerous, do not approach.
5. If possible, cut off the leaking gas source and isolate the leaking cylinder. If the leak cannot be stopped (or the valve cannot be accessed), let the cylinder drain in place or move the cylinder to a safe place to drain.
6. If there is a leak from inside the container and from a pressure relief valve or other valve, contact the supplier.
7. If the leak is from the user's system, turn off the cylinder valve and always relieve the pressure and purge with inert gas before repairing.
8. All personnel should be protected and the leak area should be contained.
9. All emergency responders are to be properly protected from exposure to silane. Monitor silane levels in the surrounding environment. Only when silane levels are within permissible limits (see Part II) may personnel enter without self-contained breathing apparatus. The concentration of combustible gas must be less than 0.14%, or 10% of the silane LEL, before entry. Aim to close the main valve to the gas before entry. Storage:
1. Store in a well-ventilated, safe and weatherproof area. Cylinders should be placed in an upright position. And keep the seal of the protective cap and output valve intact.
2. Storage areas should be located away from frequently accessed areas and emergency exits. There should be no source of ignition in the storage area, and all electrical appliances in the storage area must have explosion-proof facilities. The flammable storage area should be at least 20ft away from the oxygen and oxide storage area.
3. Or a barrier of non-flammable material at least 5 ft high shall be placed in between to ensure fire resistance for half an hour. Storage and use areas should have "No Smoking or Open Flame" signs.4. Store at temperatures no higher than 125°F (52°C). Keep empty bottles separate from full bottles. Avoid overstocking and prolonged storage.
5. Use a first-in, first-out system. Consideration should be given to installing leak detectors and alarm equipment in the storage area.
Use:
1. Use spark proof tools. Do not attempt to repair, adjust, or otherwise alter cylinders containing silane.
2. In case of malfunction or other operational problems, contact the nearest distributor immediately.
3. If possible, avoid operating the cylinder alone. All operations should be carried out in such a way that in the event of a leak, emergency personnel can arrive immediately.
4. Use hydrogen ion detectors to monitor silane repairs and diffusion in the air, and infrared/ultraviolet monitors to monitor fires . All monitors should have internal locks to automatically cut off the silane gas source as soon as a problem is detected.
5. The monitoring system should be equipped with backup or emergency power. There must be a remote emergency switch to shut off the silane gas source if necessary.
6. Pressure-filling valves are not allowed in the silane system, only non-pressure-filling membrane valves and bellows valves are allowed. An over flow valve or over flow switch should be installed in its distribution system. This will shut off the gas supply in the event of an explosion in the downstream line. This switching valve should be installed as close to the gas source as possible.
7. Be sure not to pull, roll or slide the container. Use a suitable cart to move the container and do not try to pick up the gas cylinder by grasping its cap. Ensure that the cylinder is stationary throughout its use.
8. Use a pressure reducer or separate control valve to safely release gas from the cylinder. Use a check valve to prevent backflow. Do not heat any part of the cylinder with an open flame or other nearby heat source.
9. Once the cylinder is connected to the purged and passivated system, open the cylinder valve slowly and carefully. If the user has difficulty operating the cylinder valve, discontinue use and contact the supplier.
10. Do not insert tools (e.g., wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.) into the valve cover. Otherwise it will damage the valve and cause leakage.
11. Use an adjustable strap wrench to open over-tightened or rusted bonnets. Ground all piping and related equipment. Electrical equipment must be spark and explosion proof.
Special Precautions:
1. System temperature must not fall below -170°F (-112°C) or air may be drawn in to form an explosive mixture.
2. Do not allow silane to come into contact with heavy metal halides or halogens, silane reacts violently with them. The system should be carefully purged to prevent residues of degreasing agents, halogens contained therein or other chlorine-containing hydrocarbons.
3. Fully pressurize the system for leak detection at two to three times the working pressure, preferably with helium. In addition, a routine leak detection system should be established and implemented.
4. After the system has been tested for leaks or opened for any other reason, the system should be purged of air using evacuation or inert gas purge. The system must be fully purged with inert gas before opening any system containing silane. If any part of the system has dead space or areas where silane may remain, it must be purged by vacuum cycling.
5. Silane should be discharged to a special place where it can be disposed of, preferably by burning it. Even low concentrations of silane are dangerous and should not be exposed to air. Silane can also be vented after it has been diluted to a non-flammable gas by an inert gas.
6. Compressed gases should be stored and used in accordance with the requirements of the American Compressed Gas Association. There may be special local equipment regulations for storage and use of gas requirements. ENGINEERING CONTROLS: Silane detectors should be installed in or adjacent to areas where the product is used and stored. Provide adequate natural or explosion-proof ventilation to prevent gas concentrations from increasing and to ensure that the silane does not reach the 1.4% lower flammability limit. If applicable, install automatic monitoring equipment to detect explosive air mixtures and oxygen levels.
Control Parameters:
Eight-hour Daily Time-Level Volume Average Tolerance (TLV): 5 ppm
Short-Time-Level Volume Average (STEL): -
Maximum Allowable Concentration: -
Biological Pointer: -
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Respiratory Protection:
1. High concentrations that can cause rapid asphyxiation are also inaccessible within their combustion limits.
2. Self-contained breathing apparatus for escape is required in case of emergency.
Eye protection:
1. Wear splash-proof eyeglasses or safety glasses and masks with side protection.
2. Ensure that safety showers and eyewashes are available in the immediate area where the product will be used.
Skin and body protection: Use work gloves when handling cylinders, and use fire resistant gloves and fire resistant clothing in an emergency. Wear two pairs of gloves when handling spills.
Other protective equipment: Use proper body protection while working, anti-static clothing is recommended, safety shoes are recommended when handling cylinders. Unused products/empty cylinders: Return containers and unused products to the supplier. Do not dispose of leftover or unused product without authorization.
Disposal: Silane remaining in the system should be burned off in an appropriate burner. This process should be done in accordance with local regulations. Waste containing this substance is classified as hazardous waste by the EPA. The user is required to indicate the destination of the waste in accordance with local regulations. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING REGULATIONS: Hazard Class: 2.1 (Combustible Gases)
UN NUMBER: UN 2203
DOMESTIC SHIPPING REGULATIONS:
NOTICE BOARD: Combustible Gases
SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND PRECAUTIONS: Cylinders should be shipped in upright position on a well-ventilated truck, not in a passenger compartment. Before transportation, make sure the bottle valve is closed, the output valve is installed and the valve cover is fixed. Pressure gas cylinders should only be refilled by a qualified compressed gas manufacturer. It is illegal to transport cylinders that have not been filled by or with the written consent of all manufacturers of compressed gas cylinders.
Laboratory preparation: metal silicides and acid reaction, commonly used magnesium silicide and dilute sulfuric acid production. Packaging methods: steel cylinders; ampoules outside the ordinary wooden box.
Transportation precautions: the use of rigid cylinders for transportation must wear a safety cap on the cylinder. Cylinders are generally placed flat, and should be the mouth of the bottle in the same direction, not cross; height shall not exceed the vehicle's protective railings, and use triangular wooden pads stuck firmly to prevent rolling. Transportation vehicles should be equipped with appropriate varieties and quantities of fire-fighting equipment during transportation. The exhaust pipe of the vehicle transporting the article must be equipped with fire stopping device, and it is forbidden to use mechanical equipment and tools that are easy to produce sparks for loading and unloading. It is strictly prohibited to mix and transport with oxidizers, alkalis, halogens, edible chemicals and so on. In summer, it should be transported in the morning and evening to prevent sunlight exposure. When stopping in the middle of the road, it should be far away from fire and heat source. Highway transportation should be in accordance with the specified route. Railroad transportation should be prohibited from slipping.