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U.S. SILICA COMPANY <br /> Safety Data Sheet <br /> Silica Sand or Ground Silica Page 5 of 9 <br /> 10. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY <br /> Reactivity: Not reactive under normal conditions of use. <br /> Chemical stability: Stable <br /> Possibility of hazardous reactions: Contact with powerful oxidizing agents, such as fluorine, chlorine <br /> trifluoride and oxygen difluoride,may cause fires. <br /> Conditions to avoid: Avoid generation of dust in handling and use. <br /> Incompatible materials: Powerful oxidizers such as fluorine, chlorine trifluoride, and oxygen difluoride and <br /> hydrofluoric acid. <br /> Hazardous decomposition products: Silica will dissolve in hydrofluoric acid and produce a corrosive <br /> gas, silicon tetrafluoride. <br /> 11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION <br /> Acute effects of exposure: <br /> Inhalation: Inhalation of dust may cause respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms of exposure may include <br /> cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing and shortness of breath. <br /> Ingestion: Ingestion in an unlikely route of exposure. If dust is swallowed, it may irritate the mouth and throat. <br /> Skin contact: No adverse effects are expected. <br /> Eye contact: Particulates may cause abrasive injury. <br /> Chronic effects: Prolonged inhalation of respirable crystalline silica may cause lung disease, silicosis, lung <br /> cancer and other effects as indicated below. <br /> The method of exposure that can lead to the adverse health effects described below is inhalation. <br /> A. SILICOSIS <br /> Silicosis can exist in several forms, chronic (or ordinary), accelerated, or acute: <br /> Chronic or Ordinary Silicosis is the most common form of silicosis, and can occur after many years(10 to <br /> 20 or more) of prolonged repeated inhalation of relatively low levels of airborne respirable crystalline silica <br /> dust. It is further defined as either simple or complicated silicosis. Simple silicosis is characterized by lung <br /> lesions (shown as radiographic opacities)less than 1 centimeter in diameter,primarily in the upper lung <br /> zones. Often, simple silicosis is not associated with symptoms, detectable changes in lung function or disability. <br /> Simple silicosis may be progressive and may develop into complicated silicosis or progressive massive fibrosis <br /> (PMF). Complicated silicosis or PMF is characterized by lung lesions(shown as radiographic opacities)greater <br /> than 1 centimeter in diameter. Complicated silicosis or PMF symptoms, if present, are shortness of breath and <br /> cough. Complicated silicosis or PMF may be associated with decreased lung function and may be disabling. <br /> Advanced complicated silicosis or PMF may lead to death. Advanced complicated silicosis or PMF can result in <br /> heart disease secondary to the lung disease(cor pumonale). <br /> Accelerated Silicosis can occur with prolonged repeated inhalation of high concentrations of respirable <br /> crystalline silica over a relatively short period;the lung lesions can appear within five(5)years of initial <br /> exposure. Progression can be rapid. Accelerated silicosis is similar to chronic or ordinary silicosis, except <br /> that lung lesions appear earlier and progression is more rapid. <br /> Acute Silicosis can occur after the repeated inhalation of very high concentrations of respirable crystalline silica <br /> over a short time period, sometimes as short as a few months. The symptoms of acute silicosis include <br /> progressive shortness of breath, fever, cough,weakness and weight loss. Acute silicosis is fatal. <br /> Date of preparation/revision: May 4, 2015 <br />