Nitrous Oxide Occupational Exposure Guidelines and Monitoring
Occupational
Exposure
to Nitrous
Oxide
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Uses
of Nitrous
Oxide
•
Anesthetic
agent
in
medical, dental,
and
veterinary
operatories
•
Food processing
propellant
•
Component of certain
rocket
fuels
•
Oxidant for organic
compounds
•
Nitrating
agent
for alkali
metals
, etc.
Chemical Description
•
A colorless gas stored as a liquid
•
Synonyms: laughing gas, factitious
air,
nitrogen oxide, dinitrogen
monoxide
•
Chemical formula:
N
2
O
•
Clear, colorless
gas
at
room
temperature
•
Slightly
sweet
odor and
taste
Routes of
Exposure
•
Exposure
to
nitrous oxide
occurs
primarily
through
inhalation.
•
Skin
exposure
to
liquefied
gas
may
occur
when handling compressed
gas
cylinders.
This
is
a result of the rapid evaporation
of
the liquefied
gas.
Health
Effects
•
Breathing Nitrous Oxide can irritate the eyes, nose
and throat causing coughing and/or shortness of
breath.
•
Acute
: dizziness, slurred speech, difficulty breathing,
headache,
nausea, fatigue,
irritability
•
Chronic
:
tingling
and numbness;
difficulty
concentrating; interference with gait;
reproductive
effects; neurologic, renal, and kidney
disease
•
Pure nitrous oxide
will result in
asphyxiation.
•
Cryonic burns
(or frostbite)
may
occur when
handling
compressed gas
cylinder.
How
EH&S
Monitors
Exposure
•
An Assay Technology
ChemDisk
monitor
for nitrous oxide
is worn
for the
duration
of the
procedure
on the
lapel to
represent
the
breathing
zone.
•
The disk is collected and sent to an
AIHA accredited laboratory
for
testing.
•
A
report of the
results
is
distributed to
the
supervisor
and
the
employee.
Employee
Exposure
to Nitrous
Oxide
•
OSHA
does not
regulate nitrous
oxide
exposure.
•
NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
25ppm
•
ACGIH
T
hreshold
L
imit
V
alue (TLV)
:
50
ppm
as a
TWA
•
EH&S
compares your
exposure
to
the
ACGIH
TLV.
ACGIH TLV
TWA
•
ACGIH Threshold
Limit
Value
is
the
average
concentration for a normal
8-hour
workday
and
a 40-hour workweek
to
which nearly all workers may be
exposed
repeatedly,
day
after
day,
without adverse
effects.
When Will
Monitoring Take
Place?
•
Initial
monitoring
•
Annual
monitoring
•
Periodic monitoring when
initial
results
are
above
the
TLV
or there
is
a
change
in
the
procedure.
•
Exposure monitoring is the first step to
measure nitrous oxide and determine the type
and extent of controls that are necessary. Such
monitoring include:
Protective Work Clothing
and
Equipment
•
Scavenging system provides
adequate
respiratory protection when operating
within design
specifications.
•
Thermal resistant gloves are necessary when
handling compressed
gas
cylinders,
as
this may
present a cryogenic
hazard.
Leaks
•
Stop
the leak (shut off cylinder)
if it
is
possible
to
do so without
risk.
•
Provide additional ventilation
to
the
area.
•
Isolate the area until
gas has
dispersed.
St
o
r
a
g
e
•
Cylinders should be secured
with
straps
or chains
to
prevent
physical
damage.
•
For additional storage information,
visit
www.ecu.edu/oehs/LabSafety/compressed.htm
Control Measures for
Anesthetic
Delivery
System
•
Check all
rubber
hoses, connections,
tubing,
and
breathing
bags.
•
Check both high
and
low
pressure
connections.
•
Check nitrous oxide
and oxygen
mixing
system.
•
Perform leak testing of the
equipment.
Control Measures
for
Scavenging
System
•
Assure that the nitrous oxide
is
turned
on
only
if
the scavenging system
is
also
activated.
Control Measures
for
Scavenging
System
•
To prevent significant leakage, s
cavenging
system
exhaust
rates should
be
approximately
45
L/min,
c
egardless
of the
number
of systems
operating at
a time.
•
Monitor flow rate
with
a
flowmeter.
Control Measures
for
Scavenging
System
•
Supply scavenging mask
in
a variety
of
sizes
to
ensure a secure
fit
over
the patients nose
or
face.
•
All scavenging
pumps
should
vent
to
the
outside of the building away from
fresh
air intakes, windows,
and
walkways.
Work Practices
to Control
Exposure
•
Do
not
fill
the breathing
bag
to
capacity
with
nitrous
oxide.
•
Minimize
speech and
mouth breathing by
the
patient during the
procedure.
•
After the procedure, flush the
system of nitrous
oxide.
211 South Jarvis Street, Suite 102, Greenville NC 27858
Online:
www.ecu.edu/oehs
Email:
safety@ecu.edu
Phone: (252) 328-6166
Questions
Q
U
I
Z
To
receive credit for this training please complete the
linked
This information covers the occupational exposure to nitrous oxide, including its uses, chemical description, routes of exposure, health effects, monitoring methods, and regulatory exposure limits. Nitrous oxide is a colorless gas with various applications in medical, dental, and food processing industries. Exposure primarily occurs through inhalation or skin contact with liquefied gas, leading to potential acute and chronic health effects. The monitoring of exposure is essential, with recommended exposure limits set by ACGIH and NIOSH to protect workers. EH&S utilizes monitoring devices to assess exposure levels and ensure compliance with safety regulations.
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Presentation Transcript
Occupational Exposure to Nitrous Oxide Presented by the ECU Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Uses of Nitrous Oxide Anesthetic agent in medical, dental,and veterinary operatories Food processing propellant Component of certain rocketfuels Oxidant for organiccompounds Nitrating agent for alkalimetals, etc.
Chemical Description A colorless gas stored as a liquid Synonyms: laughing gas, factitiousair, nitrogen oxide, dinitrogenmonoxide Chemical formula: N2O Clear, colorless gas atroom temperature Slightly sweet odor and taste
Routes of Exposure Exposure to nitrous oxide occurs primarily through inhalation. Skin exposure to liquefied gas may occur when handling compressed gas cylinders. This is a result of the rapid evaporation of the liquefiedgas.
Health Effects Breathing Nitrous Oxide can irritate the eyes, nose and throat causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Acute: dizziness, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, headache, nausea, fatigue, irritability Chronic: tingling and numbness; difficulty concentrating; interference with gait; reproductive effects; neurologic, renal, and kidney disease Pure nitrous oxide will result inasphyxiation. Cryonic burns (or frostbite) may occur when handling compressed gas cylinder.
How EH&S Monitors Exposure An Assay Technology ChemDisk monitor for nitrous oxide is worn for the duration of the procedure on the lapel to represent the breathing zone. The disk is collected and sent to an AIHA accredited laboratory for testing. A report of the resultsis distributed to thesupervisor and the employee.
Employee Exposure to Nitrous Oxide OSHA does not regulate nitrousoxide exposure. NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) 25ppm ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 50 ppm as a TWA EH&S compares your exposure tothe ACGIH TLV.
ACGIH TLV TWA ACGIH Threshold Limit Value is the average concentration for a normal 8-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek to which nearly all workers may be exposed repeatedly, day after day, without adverse effects.
When Will Monitoring Take Place? Exposure monitoring is the first step to measure nitrous oxide and determine the type and extent of controls that are necessary. Such monitoring include: Initial monitoring Annual monitoring Periodic monitoring when initial resultsare above the TLV or there is a change in the procedure.
Protective Work Clothing and Equipment Scavenging system provides adequate respiratory protection when operating within design specifications. Thermal resistant gloves are necessary when handling compressed gas cylinders,as this may present a cryogenic hazard.
Leaks Stop the leak (shut off cylinder) if itis possible to do so without risk. Provide additional ventilation to the area. Isolate the area until gas has dispersed.
Storage Cylinders should be secured with straps or chains to prevent physical damage. For additional storage information,visit www.ecu.edu/oehs/LabSafety/compressed.htm
Control Measures for Anesthetic Delivery System Check all rubber hoses, connections,tubing, and breathing bags. Check both high and lowpressure connections. Check nitrous oxide and oxygenmixing system. Perform leak testing of theequipment.
Control Measures for Scavenging System Assure that the nitrous oxide is turned on only if the scavenging system is also activated.
Control Measures for Scavenging System To prevent significant leakage, scavenging system exhaust rates should be approximately 45 L/min,cegardless of the number of systems operating ata time. Monitor flow rate witha flowmeter.
Control Measures for Scavenging System Supply scavenging mask in a variety of sizes to ensure a secure fit over the patients nose or face. All scavenging pumpsshould vent to the outside of the building away fromfresh air intakes, windows,and walkways.
Work Practices to Control Exposure Do not fill the breathing bag tocapacity with nitrous oxide. Minimize speech and mouth breathing bythe patient during the procedure. After the procedure, flush the system of nitrousoxide.
To receive credit for this training please complete the linked QUIZ Questions 211 South Jarvis Street, Suite 102, Greenville NC 27858 Online: www.ecu.edu/oehs Email: safety@ecu.edu Phone: (252) 328-6166
