BALSA WOOD
(Refer also to Auszac SDS for Wood Dust)

 

  1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE MATERIAL AND SUPPLIER

Product Name                Balsa Wood (Ochroma lagopus, O. pryramidale)

Article Number              None allocated

Other Names                  Balsa

Product Use                   Structural core material, model making, craft items, surfboards.

Company Name              Auszac Pty Ltd

Address                         11 Emanuel Court

                                      Melrose Park

                                      South Australia 5039

                                      Australia

Telephone Number        +61 8 8276 4122

Emergency Telephone   +61 8 8276 4122

 

  1. HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

 

Balsa is classified as NON HAZARDOUS according to the criteria of Safe Work Australia.

Balsa is classified as NOT DANGEROUS according to the Australian Dangerous Goods Code.

 

Risk Phrases:

R36       Irritating to eyes.

R38       Irritating to skin.

R43       May cause sensitisation by skin contact.

 

Safety Phrases:

S16       Keep away from sources of ignition.

S22       Do not breathe dust.

S25       Avoid contact with eyes

S39       Wear eye / face protection.

 

  1. COMPOSITION / INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS

Ingredient (common name)     Balsa Wood

CAS Number                            None allocated

Proportion of Ingredients        100%

 

  1. FIRST AID MEASURES

Inhalation    Balsa Wood in its solid state does not present an inhalation risk.

Ingestion     Balsa Wood in its solid state does not present an ingestion risk.

Skin             Balsa Wood can be an irritant to the skin.  Wash skin with soap and water.  If irritation persists, seek medical attention.

Eyes            Rubbing the eyes after handling Balsa Wood may cause eye irritation.  Irrigate eyes with water, lifting lower and upper eyelids.  If irritation persists, seek medical attention.

 

  1. FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES

                                                  Balsa Wood is a combustible, fast burning material

Suitable Extinguishing Media     Smother flames with water, dry chemical, or CO2. Balsa will smoulder unless fully extinguished.

Precautions for Fire Fighters    Wood dust is a strong to severe explosion hazard if a dust “cloud” contacts an ignition source. Wear protective clothing and self contained breathing apparatus.

 

  1. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES

Methods for Containment and Cleanup

There are no specific containment or cleanup measures required for Balsa Wood in its solid state.  Any resultant dust should be wet-swept or vacuumed.  Face mask protection is recommended to avoid inhaling dust.

 

  1. HANDLING AND STORAGE

Storage            Store in a dry place.

Handling          Gloves are recommended when handling rough-sawn Balsa Wood; otherwise, no special handling requirements.

 

  1. EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION

Exposure Standard        

(Safe Work Australia)     ES-TWA:  No known limits

                                      ES-STEL:  No known limits

Engineering Controls      Ensure adequate ventilation and/or dust extraction when working with balsa wood and when dust is created.

Personal Protection

Respiratory Protection    Not required when handling Balsa Wood that is not being processed.  Wear a face mask when working with balsa wood and where dust is created.

Body Protection               Clothing that covers all limbs is recommended to avoid possible skin irritation.

Clean skin thoroughly after work.

Eye protection                 Wear safety glasses when working with balsa wood.

 

  1. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Appearance                        Balsa is classified as a hardwood.  It is a white to light brown coloured wood. The grain of the wood is soft to the touch.

Odour                                 None

Vapour Pressure                 Not applicable

Density at 20°C                  60 - 250kg/m³

Freezing / Melting point     Not applicable

pH                                      Not applicable

Solubility                            Insoluble

Specific Gravity                  0.05 to 0.25

Flash Point                         No Information available

Flammable Limits               No LEL / HEL limits determined

Ignition Temperature         >200°C

 

  1. STABILITY AND REACTIVITY

Chemical Stability                             Stable

Hazardous Decomposition Products  Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, organic acids, traces of hydrocarbons.

Hazardous Reactions                         None known

Wood dust may pose a strong to severe explosion hazard if a cloud of wood dust comes into contact with an ignition source.

Incompatible Materials                     Strong oxidizers may cause wood to ignite.

Conditions to Avoid                           Keep away from flame, heat and other sources of ignition.

 

  1. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Toxicity Studies

No information available; generally considered to be non-toxic

Routes of Exposure

Inhalation, Ingestion, Eyes, Skin

Health Effects from Likely Routes of Exposure

Inhalation: No information available. Unlikely to occur.

 

Ingestion:   No information available. Unlikely to occur.

 

Eyes:         Contact with eyes (usually caused by rubbing eyes with hands) may cause dryness, irritation, redness, and tearing.

 

Skin:          May irritate skin.

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure

None known for Balsa Wood that is not subjected to processing.

Effects of Overexposure

No information available.  Unlikely to occur.

Carcinogenicity

No information available.  Unlikely to occur through general handling of Balsa Wood.

Refer to Auszac SDS for Wood Dust for carcinogenicity information.

Birth Defect Information

No information available.

Reproduction information

No information available.

  1. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Ecotoxicity                            Not toxic to the environment.

Persistence / Degradability   Natural material, biodegradable.

Mobility                                 No information available

 

  1. DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS

Disposal methods and Containers

Dispose of at designated landfill or incinerate.  No special containerisation required.

Special precautions for landfill or incineration

Requires no special handling or precautions.

  1. TRANSPORT INFORMATION

Not classified as dangerous by the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. Unless required by other regulations, there are no special transport requirements.

UN Number                             Not allocated

Proper Shipping Name             Balsa Wood

Dangerous Goods Class            Not Applicable

Hazchem Code                        Not Applicable

Packing Group                         Not Applicable

Special Precautions                 None

 

  1. REGULATORY INFORMATION

None known.  Balsa Wood is not a CITES listed wood.

 

  1. OTHER INFORMATION

This Revision of SDS:                 Rev 1 (21-Feb-2013)

Prepared by:                             Auszac Pty Ltd                        www.auszac.com.au

 

Abbreviations Used:

SDS

Safety Data Sheet (formerly Material Safety Data Sheet)

ES-STEL

Exposure standard – short term exposure limit

ES-TWA

Exposure standard – time weighted average

LEL

Lower Explosive Limit

UEL

Upper Explosive Limit

  1. EMERGENCY CONTACTS

Auszac Pty Ltd                                     +61 8 8276 4122

Police, Fire, Ambulance                       000 (within Australia)

Poisons Information Centre                  13 11 26 (within Australia)

 

 

 

The information contained in this safety data sheet is provided in good faith and is believed to be accurate at the date of issuance. Auszac Pty Ltd makes no representation of the accuracy or comprehensiveness of the information and to the full extent allowed by law excludes all liability for any loss or damage related to the supply or use of the information in this safety data sheet. The user is cautioned to make their own determinations as to the suitability of the information provided to the particular circumstances in which the product is used. Users should read instructions / label before using product.

Newsletter

Our newsletter is full of helpful ideas and offers for eductors.