Key Points

Fire

• Flammable
• Reacts with other chemicals such as strong oxidisers and metals releasing flammable hydrogen
• Emits fumes of carbon monoxide when heated to decomposition
• In the event of a fire involving acetic acid, use alcohol resistant foam or fine water spray and liquid tight chemical protective kit with breathing apparatus

Health

• Exposure by any route may be harmful
• CHIP Clasification: corrosive
• Inhalation can cause irritation of the eyes and nose with sore throat, cough, chest tightness, headache and confusion
• Ingestion of large amounts of acetic acid may cause burning of the mouth and throat, stomach pain and diarrhoea
• Exposure to skin can cause burns
• Eye exposure causes pain, tearing and increased sensitivity to light

Environment

• Avoid release into the envionment
• Inform the Environment Agency of substantial releases

 

All sections of the compendia are available to download:

• General Information (PDF, 46 KB)
• Incident Management (PDF, 104 KB)