Key Points

Fire

• Highly flammable
• Reacts with water and alcohols, and violently with oxidants, strong acids, strong bases and chlorinated hydrocarbons causing fire and explosion hazard
• Emits toxic fumes of aluminium oxide when heated to decomposition
• In the event of a fire involving aluminium powder (coated), use dry agent and normal fire kit with breathing apparatus and for aluminium powder (uncoated), use dry agent liquid-tight chemical protective clothing in combination with breathing apparatus. Water MUST NOT be allowed to come into contact with substance

Health

• Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and eye exposure. Acute exposure is unlikely
• CHIP classification: highly flammable
• Inhalation may cause irritation and metal fume fever. Symptoms include cough, dyspnoea, sore throat, chest tightness, headache, fever, rigors, myalgia and arthralgia
• Ingestion causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
• Ocular exposure to aluminium dust causes irritation. Aluminium fragments are generally non-irritating

Environment

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

 

All sections of the compendia are available to download:

 

• Aluminium General Information (PDF, 42 KB)
• Incident Management (PDF, 72 KB)